"Whydo you not understandwhat I am saying?[It is] becauseyou cannothearMy word.
"I have comein My Father'sname,and you do not receiveMe; ifanothercomesin his ownname,you will receivehim.
"Ifanyoneis willingto doHis will,he will knowof the teaching,whetherit is of Godor[whether] I speakfrom Myself.
"You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcisedin heartand earsare alwaysresistingthe HolySpirit;you are doing justas your fathersdid.
Thereforemanyof His disciples,when they heard[this] said,"Thisis a difficultstatement;whocanlistento it?"
They did not realizethat He had been speakingto them about the Father.
To whomshall I speakand givewarningThat they may hear?Behold,their earsare closedAnd they cannotlisten.Behold,the wordof the LORDhas becomea reproachto them; They havenodelightin it.
Evilmendo not understandjustice,But those who seekthe LORDunderstandallthings.
They do not know,nordo they understand,for He has smearedovertheir eyessothat they cannotseeand their heartssothat they cannotcomprehend.
He said,"Go,and tellthispeople:'Keepon listening,but do not perceive;Keepon looking,but do not understand.'
"But they do not knowthe thoughtsof the LORD,And they do not understandHis purpose;For He has gatheredthem like sheavesto the threshingfloor.
Whoeveris wise,let him understandthesethings;[Whoever] is discerning,let him knowthem. For the waysof the LORDare right,And the righteouswill walkin them, But transgressorswill stumblein them.
THERE IS NONEWHO UNDERSTANDS,THERE IS NONEWHO SEEKSFOR GOD;
FOR THE HEARTOF THISPEOPLEHAS BECOME DULL,WITH THEIR EARSTHEY SCARCELYHEAR,AND THEY HAVE CLOSEDTHEIR EYES,OTHERWISETHEY WOULD SEEWITH THEIR EYES,HEARWITH THEIR EARS,AND UNDERSTANDWITH THEIR HEARTAND RETURN,AND I WOULD HEALTHEM.'
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, an houris comingand nowis, whenthe deadwill hearthe voiceof the Sonof God,and thosewho hearwill live.
They answeredHim, "We are Abraham'sdescendantsand have neveryetbeen enslavedto anyone;howis it that You say,'You will becomefree'?"
They answeredand saidto Him, "Abrahamis our father."Jesussaidto them, "Ifyou are Abraham'schildren,dothe deedsof Abraham.
