Acts 28:27

King James Version

For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
For these people's hearts are like a blacksmith's callused hands. They don't hear with their ears. They have sown their own eyes shut. If not, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, And if all of this happened, I would heal them."'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."'

Legacy Standard Bible
For the heart of this people has become dull,And with their ears they scarcely hear,And they have closed their eyes;Lest they might see with their eyes,And hear with their ears,And understand with their heart and return,And I heal them."'

Bible in Basic English
For the heart of this people has become fat and their ears are slow in hearing and their eyes are shut; for fear that they might see with their eyes and give hearing with their ears and become wise in their hearts and be turned again to me, so that I might make them well.

Darby Translation
For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

New King James Version
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.Their ears are hard of hearing,And their eyes they have closed,Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,So that I should heal them." ' Isaiah 6:9, 10 ">[fn]

Christian Standard Bible®
For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted, and I would heal them.

World English Bible
For this people's heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, Would turn again, And I would heal them.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they hear heavily, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Weymouth's New Testament
For this people's mind has grown callous, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might cure them.'

King James Version (1611)
For the heart of this people is waxed grosse, and their eares are dull of hearing, and their eyes haue they closed, lest they should with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their heart, and should bee conuerted, and I should heale them.

Literal Translation
for the heart of this people was fattened, and they have heard with the ears heavily; and they closed their eyes lest at any time they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, andbe converted, and I should heal them." Isa. 6:9, 10

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For ye hert of this people is waxed grosse, & they heare hardly wt their eares: & their eyes haue they closed, yt they shulde not once se wt their eyes, & heare wt their eares, & vnderstode i their hertes, and be couerted, yt I mighte heale the.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for the heart of this people is become gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them."

Amplified Bible
FOR THE HEART (the understanding, the soul) OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL (calloused), AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE SHUT THEIR EYES [to the truth]; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN [to Me], AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."'

American Standard Version
For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

Revised Standard Version
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For the hert of this people is wexed grosse and their eares were thycke of hearynge and their eyes have they closed: lest they shuld se with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstonde with their hertes and shuld be converted and I shulde heale them.

Update Bible Version
For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest, perhaps they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them."

Webster's Bible Translation
For the heart of this people is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Young's Literal Translation
for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they may see with the eyes, and with the heart may understand, and be turned back, and I may heal them.

New Century Version
because these people have become stubborn. They don't hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might really understand what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears. They might really understand in their minds and come back to me and be healed.' Isaiah 6:9–10

New English Translation
For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them ."'

Berean Standard Bible
For this people's heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.'

Contemporary English Version
All of you have stubborn hearts. Your ears are stopped up, and your eyes are covered. You cannot see or hear or understand. If you could, you would turn to me, and I would heal you.'"

Complete Jewish Bible
because the heart of this people has grown thick — with their ears they barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, for fear that they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and do t'shuvah, so that I could heal them."'

English Standard Version
For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
For the heart of this people is waxed fatte, and their eares are dull of hearing, and with their eyes haue they winked, least they shoulde see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their heartes, and should returne that I might heale them.

George Lamsa Translation
For the heart of this people is hardened and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and repent before me, and I should forgive them.

Hebrew Names Version
For this people's heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, And would turn again, And I would heal them.'

International Standard Version
For this people's heart has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes so that they may never see with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heartand turn and let me heal them."'Isaiah 6:9-10">[fn]

Etheridge Translation
For stupified is the heart of this people, And their hearing they have made heavy, And their eyes have they closed, Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their hearts, And be turned unto me, and I should forgive them.

Murdock Translation
For the heart of this people is stupefied, and their hearing they have made heavy, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted unto me, and I should forgive them.

New Living Translation
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'

New Life Bible
because these people have hearts that have become fat. They do not hear well with their ears. They have closed their eyes so their eyes do not see and their ears do not hear and their minds do not understand and they do not turn to Me and let Me heal them."'

English Revised Version
For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

New Revised Standard
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For the heart of this people, hath become dense, and, with their ears, heavily, have they heard, and, their eyes, have they closed, - lest once they should see with their eyes, and, with their ears, should hear, and, with their hearts, should understand, and return, - when I would certainly heal them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears have they heard heavily and their eyes they have shut, lest perhaps they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should be converted: and I should heal them.

Lexham English Bible
For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them."'

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For the heart of this people is waxed grosse, & their eares are dull of hearing, and their eyes haue they closed: lest they shoulde see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstande with their heartes, and shoulde be conuerted, and I shoulde heale them.

Easy-to-Read Version
Yes, the minds of these people are now closed. They have ears, but they don't listen. They have eyes, but they refuse to see. If their minds were not closed, they might see with their eyes; they might hear with their ears; they might understand with their minds. Then they might turn back to me and be healed.'

New American Standard Bible
FOR THE HEARTS OF THIS PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INSENSITIVE, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY HARDLY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."'

Good News Translation
because this people's minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.'"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For the herte of this puple is greetli fattid, and with eeris thei herden heuyli, and thei closiden togider her iyen, lest perauenture thei se with iyen, and with eeris here, and bi herte vndurstonde, and be conuertid, and Y hele hem.

Contextual Overview

²³ And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. ²⁵ And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, ²⁶ Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: ²⁷ For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ²⁸ Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. ²⁹ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Exodus 8:32 - General Leviticus 7:23 - fat Deuteronomy 29:4 - General Deuteronomy 32:15 - waxen fat Psalms 17:10 - They are Psalms 69:23 - Their eyes Psalms 119:70 - heart is as fat Proverbs 17:16 - seeing Isaiah 6:9 - Hear ye Isaiah 6:10 - lest Isaiah 19:22 - they shall Isaiah 26:11 - will Isaiah 29:10 - the Lord Isaiah 29:14 - for the wisdom Jeremiah 36:3 - that I Ezekiel 12:2 - which Zechariah 7:12 - lest Matthew 18:3 - Except Mark 8:18 - see Luke 8:10 - that seeing Acts 3:19 - be 2 Corinthians 3:14 - their Hebrews 5:11 - dull

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the heart of this people is waxed gross,.... Or fat; stupefied with notions of carnal and temporal things, and become hardened against, and unsusceptible of, divine and spiritual things:

and their ears are dull of hearing; the Gospel, and its joyful sound; to which they stop their cars, as the deaf adder to the voice of the charmer:

and their eyes have they closed; and wilfully shut, against all evidence from facts, miracles, prophecies, and preaching:

lest they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears,

and understand with [their] heart, and should be converted; that is, see the evidence of miracles, take in the truth of doctrine, understand the meaning of prophecy, and so be turned from darkness, ignorance, and unbelief, to light, knowledge, and faith:

and I should heal them; or "have mercy on them", as the Ethiopic version renders it; that is, forgive their sins: hearing the Gospel preached, is the ordinary means of understanding spiritual things; and the understanding being enlightened through the ministry of the word, by the Spirit of God, whereby the sinner sees his lost state by nature, his impurity and impotency, the danger he is in, and the destruction that is imminent on him, and he is liable to, and also his need of Christ, and salvation by him; this issues in conversion, in the turning of a man from the evil of his ways, to believe in Christ, walk on in him, and worthy of him; when he is healed of the diseases of his soul, which are many, are natural, and hereditary, mortal and incurable, but by Christ the great physician; by whose stripes, wounds, and blood, there is healing, that is, pardon; for healing diseases, and pardoning iniquities, are one and the same; see Psalms 103:3; and at conversion, when a soul is enlightened, and made sensible of the evil of sin, and that there is no cure of this disease, by anything that he or any creature can do, or prescribe for him, but only by the blood of Christ; a discovery of pardoning grace is made unto him; and he is made whole, and cured of every disease that attended him; from whence spring joy, peace, and comfort to him:, but when through hearing the word, the understanding is not enlightened, and conversion does not follow upon it, there is no healing of the disease of sin, no pardon applied; and consequently such must be in a most deplorable and miserable condition, as all ignorant hearers and despisers of the Gospel are; Mt 13:15;

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Saying ... - See this passage explained in the Matthew 13:14 note, and John 12:39-40 notes.