Matthew 13:14

Amplified Bible

"In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL HEAR and KEEP ON HEARING, BUT NEVER UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL LOOK and KEEP ON LOOKING, BUT NEVER COMPREHEND;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

King James Version (1611)
And in them is fulfilled the prophecie of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstand: and seeing yee shall see, and shall not perceiue.

King James Version
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

English Standard Version
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "‘"You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive."

New American Standard Bible
"And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU SHALL KEEP ON LISTENING, BUT SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU SHALL KEEP ON LOOKING, BUT SHALL NOT PERCEIVE;

New Century Version
So they show that the things Isaiah said about them are true: ‘You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not learn.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So in them is fulfilled the prophecie of Esaias, which prophecie saieth, By hearing, ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstand, and seeing, ye shal see, and shall not perceiue.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

Legacy Standard Bible
And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;

Berean Standard Bible
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

Contemporary English Version
So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said, "These people will listen and listen, but never understand. They will look and look, but never see.

Complete Jewish Bible
That is, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Yesha‘yahu which says, ‘ You will keep on hearing but never understand, and keep on seeing but never perceive,

Darby Translation
and in them is filled up the prophecy of Esaias, which says, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and beholding ye shall behold and not see;

Easy-to-Read Version
So they show that what Isaiah said about them is true: ‘You people will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not really see.

George Lamsa Translation
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah who said, Hearing you will hear, but you will not understand; and seeing you will see, but you will not know.

Good News Translation
So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: ‘This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see,

Lexham English Bible
and with reference to them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, "You will listen carefully and will never understand, and you will look closely and will never perceive.

Literal Translation
And the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled on them, which says, "In hearing you will hear and in no way understand, and seeing you will see yet in no way perceive.

American Standard Version
And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:

Bible in Basic English
And for them the words of Isaiah have come true, Though you give ear, you will not get knowledge; and seeing, you will see, but the sense will not be clear to you:

Hebrew Names Version
In them the prophecy of Yesha`yahu is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, And will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, And will in no way perceive:

International Standard Version
"With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says:Isaiah 6:9; Ezekiel 12:2; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:26-27; Romans 11:8; 2 Corinthians 3:14-15;">[xr] 'You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never comprehend.

Etheridge Translation
and accomplished in them is the prophecy of Eshaia, who said, that hearing they should hear, but not understand, and seeing they should see, but not know.

Murdock Translation
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said: By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and by seeing ye see, and shall not know:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And in them is fulfylled the prophesie of Esaias, saying: by hearyng ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstande, and seeyng, ye shall see, & shall not perceaue.

English Revised Version
And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:

World English Bible
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah who saith, Hearing ye will hear, but in no wise understand, and seeing ye will see, but in no wise perceive.

Weymouth's New Testament
And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "`You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that the prophesie of Ysaie `seiynge be fulfillid `in hem, With heryng ye schulen here, and ye shulen not vndurstonde; and ye seynge schulen se, and ye shulen not se;

Update Bible Version
And to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing you shall hear, and shall in no way understand; And seeing you shall see, and shall in no way perceive:

Webster's Bible Translation
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

New English Translation
And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘ You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend .

New King James Version
And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

New Living Translation
This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.

New Life Bible
It happened in their lives as Isaiah said it would happen. He said, ‘You hear and hear but do not understand. You look and look but do not see.

New Revised Standard
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, again is being fulfilled in them, the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, - They shall, surely hear, and yet will not understand, and, surely see, and yet not perceive;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.

Revised Standard Version
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: 'You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And in the is fulfilled ye Prophesie of Esayas which prophesie sayth: with the eares ye shall heare and shall not vnderstonde and with the eyes ye shall se and shall not perceave.

Young's Literal Translation
and fulfilled on them is the prophecy of Isaiah, that saith, With hearing ye shall hear, and ye shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and ye shall not perceive,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And in them is fulfilled ye prophecie of Esay, which sayeth: Ye shal heare in dede, and shal not vnderstonde: and with seinge eyes shal ye se, and not perceaue.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and in them is fulfilled that prophecy of Esaias, "by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.

Simplified Cowboy Version
This is why the great cowboy Isaiah said, 'You hear, but you don't listen. You see, but you don't understand.

Contextual Overview

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee]. ²But such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat there [positioning Himself as a teacher], while the whole crowd stood on the shore. ³He told them many things in parables, saying, "Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field]; ⁴and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it. ⁵"Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. ⁶"But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷"Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸"Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty. ⁹"He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words." ¹⁰Then the disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the prophecy: Isaiah 6:9, Isaiah 6:10, Ezekiel 12:2, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:39, John 12:40, Acts 28:25-27, Romans 11:8-10, 2 Corinthians 3:14

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:29 - General Deuteronomy 32:28 - General Job 33:14 - perceiveth Psalms 69:23 - Their eyes Psalms 135:16 - eyes have they Isaiah 28:13 - that Isaiah 29:18 - the deaf Isaiah 42:19 - Who is blind Isaiah 44:18 - for he hath Isaiah 56:11 - are shepherds Ezekiel 17:2 - General Ezekiel 20:49 - Doth Matthew 13:35 - it Mark 3:5 - hardness Mark 8:18 - see Luke 4:21 - This day Luke 19:42 - but John 10:6 - they understood not Acts 28:26 - Go Romans 3:11 - none that understandeth Romans 9:18 - will he Romans 11:7 - and the rest

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
So Lot looked and saw that the valley of the Jordan was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; [it was all] like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar [at the south end of the Dead Sea].

Genesis 28:14
"Your descendants shall be as [countless as] the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and the east and the north and the south; and all the families (nations) of the earth shall be blessed through you and your descendants.

Deuteronomy 3:27
'Go up to the top of [Mount] Pisgah and raise your eyes toward the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross this Jordan.

Isaiah 49:18
"Lift up your eyes and look around [at the returning exiles]; All these gather together and they come to you [to rebuild you]. As I live," declares the LORD, "You [Zion] will indeed clothe yourself with all of them as jewels and tie them on as a bride.

Isaiah 60:4
"Lift up your eyes around you and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from far away, And your daughters will be looked after at their side.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,.... In Isaiah 6:9

which saith, which runs, or may be read thus,

by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. The words are a prophecy concerning the people of the Jews, which began to be accomplished in the times of Isaiah; and were again fulfilled in the times of some after prophets; and had been in part fulfilled under the more plain and easy ministry of Christ; and was to have a further accomplishment under this parabolical way of preaching; as it also was to have, and had, a yet further completion under the ministry of the apostles; see Acts 28:26 and the judicial blindness here predicted was to go on among them, until the land of Judea was utterly destroyed by the Romans, and the cities and houses thereof left without any inhabitants; all which accordingly came to pass: for that this prophecy refers to the times of the Messiah, and to the people of the Jews, is clear from this one observation made by Christ himself, that Esaias foretold those things when he saw the glory of the Messiah, and spake of him, John 12:40 and because it was to have, and had, its accomplishment over and over again in that people, therefore the word αναπληρουται, which may be rendered "is fulfilled again", is made use of. The sense of the prophecy is, with respect to the times of the Messiah, that the Jews, whilst hearing the sermons preached by him, whether with, or without parables, should hear his voice, and the sound of it, but not understand his words internally, spiritually, and experimentally; and whilst they saw, with the eyes of their bodies, the miracles he wrought, they should see the facts done, which could not be denied and gainsayed by them, but should not take in the clear evidence, full proof, and certain demonstration given thereby, of his Messiahship. In the prophecy of Isaiah, the words run in the imperative, "hear ye, see ye", c. but are here rendered in the future, "shall hear, shall see", &c. which rendering of the words is supported and established by the version of the Septuagint, by the Chaldee paraphrase, and by many Jewish commentators l who allow, that the words in Isaiah may be so understood, which is sufficient to vindicate the citation of them, by the evangelist, in this form of them.

l In R. David Kimchi in Isa. vi. 9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Christ, in these verses, gives a “reason” why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10.

Matthew 13:11

The mysteries of the kingdom - The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood.

The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had” not been before made known. Thus the “mysteries of the kingdom” do not mean any doctrines incomprehensible in themselves considered, but simply doctrines about the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the new kingdom of the Messiah, which “had not” been understood, and which were as yet concealed from the great body of the Jews. See Romans 16:25; Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:3-4, Ephesians 3:9. Of this nature was the truth that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles; that the Jewish polity was to cease; that the Messiah was to die, etc. To the disciples it was given to know these truths. This was important for them, as they were to carry the gospel around the globe. To the others it was not “then” given. They were too gross, too earthly; they had too, grovelling conceptions of the Messiah’s kingdom to understand these truths, even if communicated to them. They were not to preach the gospel, and hence our Saviour was at particular pains to instruct his apostles in the system which they were to preach. The Pharisees, and Jews generally, were not prepared to receive the system, and would not have believed it, and therefore he purposely employed a kind of teaching which was intended for his apostles only.

Matthew 13:12

Whosoever hath ... - This is a proverbial method of speaking.

It means that a man who improves what light, grace, and opportunities he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away. The Jews had many opportunities of learning the truth, and some light still lingered among them; but they were gross and sensual, and misimproved them, and it was a just judgment that they should be deprived of them. Superior knowledge was given to the disciples of Christ: they improved it, however slowly, and the promise was that it should be greatly increased.

Matthew 13:13

Because they seeing, see not - Mark Mark 4:12 and Luke Luke 8:10 say, “That seeing, they may not see etc.;” but there is no difference.

Matthew simply states the “fact,” that though they saw the “natural” meaning of the story - though they literally understood the parable - yet they did not understand its “spiritual” signification. Mark and Luke do not state the “fact,” but affirm that he spoke with this “intention” - implying that such “was” the result. Nor was there any dishonesty in this, or any unfair disguise. He had truths to state which he wished his “disciples particularly” to understand. They were of great importance to their ministry. Had he clearly and fully stated them to the Jews, they would have taken his life long before they did. He therefore chose to state the doctrines so that if their hearts had been right, and if they had not been malignant and blind, “they might have understood them.” His doctrines he stated in the best possible way, and it was not his fault if they did not understand him. By little and little, in this way, he prepared many even of the Jews to receive the truth; by the only possible way of ever gaining access to their minds. It was, moreover, entirely proper and right to impart instruction to his disciples which he did not “intend” for others.

Matthew 13:14

And in them is fulfilled ... - This place is quoted substantially from Isaiah 6:9-10. It was literally fulfilled in the time of Isaiah. In the time of Christ the people had the same character. Like them, they closed their eyes upon the truth, and rejected the divine teaching. The words of Isaiah were therefore “as well fitted” to express the character of the people in the time of Christ as in that of the prophet. In this sense they were “fulfilled,” or “filled up;” that is, “a case occurred that corresponded to their meaning.” See the notes at Matthew 1:22. It is not by any means intended that Isaiah, when he spoke these words, had any reference to the time of Christ. The meaning in both places is, that the people were so gross, sensual, and prejudiced, that they “would” not see the truth, or understand anything that was contrary to their grovelling opinions and sensual desires; a case by no means uncommon in the world. See the passage more fully explained in my notes at Isaiah 6:0.

Waxed gross - Literally, “has become fat.” This language is commonly applied to “the body,” but is also used to denote one who is stupid and foolish in mind. Here it means that the people were so sensual and corrupt that they did not see or understand the pure spiritual principles of the gospel.

Lest they should see ... - Lest they should see their lost condition as sinners, and turn and live. The reason given here why they did not hear and understand the gospel is, that their “heart” was “wrong.” They “would” not attend to the things that belonged to their peace.

I should heal them - Should pardon, sanctify, and save them. Sin is often represented as a disease, and the pardon and recovery of the soul from sin as “healing.”

Matthew 13:16

Blessed are your eyes ... - That is, you are happy that you are permitted to see truth which they will not see.

You are permitted to understand the spiritual meaning of the parables, and in some degree the plan of salvation.

Matthew 13:17

Many prophets and righteous men ... - They wished to see the times of the Messiah.

They looked to it as a time when the hopes of the world would be fulfilled, and when the righteous would be happy, John 8:56. “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” Compare also 1 Peter 1:10-12; Hebrews 11:13. So Isaiah and the prophets looked forward to the coming of the Messiah as the consummation of their wishes and the end of the prophecies, Revelation 19:10. The object always dearest to the hearts of all righteous people is to witness the coming and advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Compare Revelation 22:20.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 13:14. In them is fulfilled — αναπληρουται, Is AGAIN fulfilled: this proper meaning of the Greek word has been generally overlooked. The evangelist means, that as these words were fulfilled in the Jews, in the time of the Prophet Isaiah, so they are now again fulfilled in these their posterity, who exactly copy their fathers example. These awful words may be again fulfilled in us, if we take not warning by the things which these disobedient people have suffered.

By hearing ye shall hear — Jesus Christ shall be sent to you, his miracles ye shall fully see, and his doctrines ye shall distinctly hear; but God will not force you to receive the salvation which is offered.