Luke 8:10

He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks privately to His disciples after they ask Him to explain the parable of the sower (Luke 8:9). He distinguishes their access from that of the surrounding crowd.

The words — μυστήρια (mustēria), "mysteries," denotes things hidden by design and now disclosed, not merely difficult to grasp. The perfect passive δέδοται (dedotai), "it has been given," marks a completed grant with continuing effect.

The thread — The "seeing but not seeing" clause quotes Isaiah 6:9. Mark 4:11 parallels the verse almost verbatim; Matthew 11:25 frames the same distinction as the Father's deliberate concealment from the wise.

Why it lands — The verse draws a hard line: understanding is a gift, not an achievement, and the parable itself is the mechanism that keeps the line in place. A reader must decide which side of that line they stand on.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Cross-references

Isaiah 6:9 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
Mark 4:11 He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Jeremiah 5:21 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
Isaiah 44:18 They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
Matthew 13:11 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Acts 28:26 ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
Colossians 2:2 that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,
Deuteronomy 29:4 Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.
Psalms 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.