12. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
13. For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.
14. 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.
15. For the heart of this people has become dull;they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
16. “But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18. “So listen to the parable of the sower:
19. When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path.
20. The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
21. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
22. The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.