Matthew 13:15

13:15 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.’ ¹ 

Matthew 17:20

17:20 He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, ²  if you have faith the size of ³  a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing ⁴  will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 18:8

18:8 If ⁵  your hand or your foot causes you to sin, ⁶  cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have ⁷  two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

Matthew 19:28

19:28 Jesus ⁸  said to them, “I tell you the truth: ⁹  In the age when all things are renewed, ¹⁰  when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging ¹¹  the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 21:21

21:21 Jesus ¹²  answered them, “I tell you the truth, ¹³  if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Matthew 23:23

23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law ¹⁴  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth ¹⁵  of mint, dill, and cumin, ¹⁶  yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You ¹⁷  should have done these things without neglecting the others.

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¹ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.

² tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

³ tn Grk “faith as,” “faith like.”

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁶ sn In Greek there is a wordplay that is difficult to reproduce in English here. The verb translated “causes…to sin” (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizw) comes from the same root as the word translated “stumbling blocks” (σκάνδαλον, skandalon) in the previous verse.

⁷ tn Grk “than having.”

⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

¹⁰ sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).

¹¹ sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.

¹² tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

¹³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

¹⁴ tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

¹⁵ tn Or “you tithe mint.”

¹⁶ sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.

¹⁷ tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë^1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.