10. The followers came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you use stories to teach the people?”
11. Jesus answered, “Only you can know the secret truths about the kingdom of heaven. Other people cannot know these secret truths.
12. The person who has something will be given more. And he will have all he needs. But the person who does not have much, even what he has will be taken from him.
13. This is why I use stories to teach the people: They see, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really understand.
14. 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.
15. For these people have become stubborn.They do not hear with their ears.And they have closed their eyes.Otherwise they might really understandwhat they see with their eyesand hear with their ears.They might really understand in their minds.If they did this, they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ Isaiah 6:9-10
16. But you are blessed. You understand the things you see with your eyes. And you understand the things you hear with your ears.
17. I tell you the truth. Many prophets and good people wanted to see the things that you now see. But they did not see them. And many prophets and good people wanted to hear the things that you now hear. But they did not hear them.
18. “So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer.
19. What is the seed that fell by the road? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and takes away the things that were planted in that person’s heart.
20. And what is the seed that fell on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and quickly accepts it with joy.
21. But he does not let the teaching go deep into his life. He keeps it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching he accepted, then he quickly gives up.
22. And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and love of money stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit in that person’s life.