And their eyes they have closed;
Lest haply they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And turn, and I shall heal them.
16But happy are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17For verily I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what ye are beholding, and did not see, and to hear what ye are hearing, and did not hear.
18Hear therefore the parable of the sower. 19When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands not, then comes the evil one and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that which was sown by the way-side.
20And that sown on the rocky places, this is he that hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; 21and has not root in himself, but is only for a time; and when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he is offended.
22And that sown among the thorns, this is he that hears the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23And that sown on the good ground, this is he that hears the word and understands; who bears fruit, and produces, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24Another parable he put forth to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat, and went away. 26And when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then appeared the darnel also. 27And the servants of the householder came and said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence then has it darnel? 28He said to them: An enemy did this. The servants said to him: Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29He said: Nay, lest while ye gather up the darnel, ye root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. And in time of harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the darnel, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.