² “Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a ^(A)parable to the house of Israel,

⁴⁹ Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They say of me, ‘Does he not speak ^(A)parables?’ ”

³⁵ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

¹² For ^(A)now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then ^(B)face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Jesus’ Use of Parables

^33 (A)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, ^(B)He explained all things to His disciples.

¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

^3 (A)And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession

12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And ^(A)he came to him, and ^(B)said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. ² The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. ³ But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. ⁴ And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”