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10 The Reason for Parables. When he was alone, the Twelve and his other companions asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “To you has been granted knowledge of the mysteries[a] of the kingdom of God, but to those outside, everything comes in parables, 12 so that

‘they may look and see but not perceive,
    and hear and listen but fail to understand,
    lest they be converted and be forgiven.’ ”[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:11 Mysteries: see note on Mt 13:11.
  2. Mark 4:12 The citation is from Isa 6:9-10. Acts (28:26-27) and Romans (11:7-16, 29-32) cite the same passage of Isaiah to show that the rejection by the people of the Covenant had been foretold and that God’s plan cannot be checkmated by the defection of human beings. It is not that God wants them to reject the word. They do that on their own because they do not want to receive God’s forgiveness.

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God(A) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(B) everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
    and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a](C)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10