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Acts 5:20
“ Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
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John 16:13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
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John 16:1
“ I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.
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John 16:29
Then his disciples said,“ At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
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Acts 5:28
“ We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said.“ Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
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Proverbs 1:20-23
Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square.She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate:“ How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.
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Luke 8:10
He replied,“ You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:‘ When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
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Matthew 13:1-17
Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:“ Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”His disciples came and asked him,“ Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”He replied,“ You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,‘ When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’“ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
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2 Corinthians 3 12
Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.
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Proverbs 8:1-5
Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads.By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud,“ I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.
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Matthew 13:34-35
Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:“ I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”
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John 16:25
“ I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father.
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Acts 17:17
He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.