Bible Cross References
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
Mark 4:34
He would not speak to them without using parables, but when he was alone with his disciples, he would explain everything to them.
Mark 7:17
When he left the crowd and went into the house, his disciples asked him to explain this saying.
Proverbs 13:20
Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.
Matthew 13:10-17
10
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
11
Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12
For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has.
13
The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.
14
So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: 'This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see,
15
because their minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and have closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.'
16
"As for you, how fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear.
17
I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.
Matthew 13:36-17
Luke 8:9-15
9
His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant,
10
and he answered, "The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has been given to you, but to the rest it comes by means of parables, so that they may look but not see, and listen but not understand.
11
"This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God.
12
The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; but the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved.
13
The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them; they believe only for a while but when the time of testing comes, they fall away.
14
The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear; but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them, and their fruit never ripens.
15
The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.