Matthew 13:15

13 This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’

14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

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.’

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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.’
KJV
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
WEB
for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’
ASV
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.
DARBY
for the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes as asleep, lest they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
BLB
For the heart of this people grew dull, and they barely hear with the ears, and they closed their eyes, lest ever they might see with the eyes, and might hear with the ears, and might understand with the heart, and might return, and I will heal them.’
ÅB
For dette folket har sløve hjerter,
og tunghørte ører.
De lukker øynene sine,
slik at de ikke skal se med øynene
og høre med ørene
og forstå med hjertet
og omvende seg,
slik at jeg kunne få helbrede dem.’
OTB
For dette folkets hjerte har blitt sløvt;
med ørene hører de knapt,
og de har lukket øynene.
Ellers kunne de se med øynene,
høre med ørene,
forstå med hjertet og vende om,
og jeg ville helbrede dem.’
B1930
for dette folks hjerte er sløvet, og med ørene hører de tungt, og sine øine lukker de, forat de ikke skal se med øinene og høre med ørene og forstå med hjertet og omvende sig, så jeg kunde få læge dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 6:10

    Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 7:11

    But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.

    Read in context
  • Mark 4:12

    so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”

    Read in context
  • John 8:43–44

    Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.

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  • 2 Timothy 2:25–26

    He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

    Read in context
  • Malachi 4:2

    “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 29:10–12

    For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 17:14

    Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.

    Read in context