Matthew 13:15
What does Matthew 13:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 13:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 13:15 means
Continuing Isaiah, this verse explains that people’s hearts have grown dull and senses closed to avoid repentance and healing. The language portrays willful spiritual resistance: they close eyes and ears to prevent understanding, which would lead to repentance and restoration. This hardening is tragic because it frustrates God’s healing purpose. The verse underscores the moral responsibility of the nation and the seriousness of unbelief: persistent rejection blocks relational reconciliation with God.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For 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.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they might see with the eyes, and with the ears might hear, and with the heart understand, and turn back, and I might heal them.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890for 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.
Context
This continuation deepens the prophetic indictment introduced in verse 14. It shows that the crowd’s failure to understand is not neutral but morally culpable: they have hardened themselves against God’s restorative work. The next verses contrast this with the disciples’ privileged insight.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Timothy 4:4
and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.
- Isaiah 57:18
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
- 2 Timothy 2:25
in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth,
- Hebrews 5:11
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
- Isaiah 44:20
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
- Jeremiah 33:6
Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth.
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