Parallel
Ezekiel 20
Swete's Septuagint · Berean Standard Bible
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ἑβδόμῳ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς ἦλθον ἄνδρες ἐκ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων οἴκου Ἰσραὴλ ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν κύριον, καὶ ἐκάθισαν πρὸ προσώπου μου.
In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.
Υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, λάλησον πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Εἰ ἐπερωτῆσαί με ὑμεῖς ἔρχεσθε; ζῶ ἐγὼ εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν, λέγει Κύριος,
“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.
εἰ ἐκδικήσω αὐτοὺς ἐκδικήσει. υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν διαμάρτυραι αὐτοῖς,
Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Confront them with the abominations of their fathers
καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ᾑρέτισα τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐγνωρίσθην τῷ σπέρματι οἴκου Ἰακώβ, καὶ ἐγνώσθην αὐτοῖς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἀντελαβόμην τῇ χειρί μου αὐτῶν λέγων Ἐγὼ Κύρωος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. With an uplifted hand I said to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.’
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἀντελαβόμην τῇ χειρί μου αὐτῶν τοῦ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἡτοίμασα αὐτοῖς, γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι, κηρίον ἐστὶν παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.
On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.
καὶ εἶπα πρὸς αὐτοὺς Εκαστος βδελύγματα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀποριψάτω, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν Αἰγύπτου μὴ μιαίνεσθε· ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν εἰσακοῦσαί μου, τὰ βδελύγματα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀπέρριψαν καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα Αἰγύπτου οὐκ ἐγκατέλειπον. καὶ εἶπα τοῦ ἐκχέαι τὸν θυμόν μου ἐπʼ αὐτούς, τοῦ συντελέσαι οργήν μου ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐν μέσῳ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.
καὶ ἐποίησα ὅπως τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ παράπαν μὴ βεβηλωθῇ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐθνῶν ὧν αὐτοί εἰσιν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν, ἐν οἷς ἐγνώσθην πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν τοῦ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον,
So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.
καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς τὰ προστάγματά μου, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου ἐγνώρισα αὐτοῖς, ὅσα ποιήσει αὐτὰ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς.
And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them (note: See Leviticus 18:5; also in Ezekiel 20:13 and 21.).
καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς τοῦ εἶναι εἰς σημεῖον ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτῶν, τοῦ γνῶναι αὐτοὺς διότι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ ἁγιάζων αὐτοὺς.
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
καὶ εἶπα πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασίν μου πορεύεσθε. καὶ οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου ἀπώσαντο, ἃ ποιήσει αὐτὰ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἐβεβήλωσαν σφόδρα. καὶ εἶπα τοῦ ἐκχέαι τὸν θυμόν μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τοῦ ἐξαναλῶσαι αὐτούς.
Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.
καὶ ἐποίησα ὅπως τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ παράπαν μὴ βεβηλωθῇ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐθνῶν ὧν ἐξήγαγον αὐτοὺς κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν.
But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
καὶ ἐγὼ ἐξῆρα τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸ παράπαν τοῦ μὴ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς, γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι, κηρίον ἐστὶν παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν·
Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—
ἀνθʼ ὧν τὰ δικαιώματά μου ἀπώσαντο, καὶ ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασίν μου οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἐβεβήλουν, καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπορεύοντο.
because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.
καὶ ἐφείσατο ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἐξαλεῖψαι αὐτούς, καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτοὺς εἰς συντέλειαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῃ.
Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.
καὶ εἶπα πρὸς τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἐν τοῖς νομίμοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν μὴ πορεύεσθε, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτῶν μὴ φυλάσσεσθε, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτῶν μὴ συναναμίσγεσθε καὶ μὴ μιαίνεσθε.
In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν, ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασίν μου πορεύεσθε, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου φυλάσσεσθε καὶ ποιεῖτε αὐτά,
I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.
καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἁγιάζετε, καὶ ἔστω εἰς σημεῖον ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν, τοῦ γινώσκειν διότι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’
καὶ παρεπίκρανάν με καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν· ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασίν μου οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο τοῦ ποιεῖν αὐτά, ἃ ποιήσει ἄνθρωπος καὶ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἐβεβήλουν· καὶ εἶπα τοῦ ἐκχέαι τὸν θυμόν μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τοῦ συντελέσαι τὴν ἀργήν μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς.
But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.
καὶ ἐποίησα ὅπως τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ παράπαν μὴ βεβηλωθῇ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἐξήγαγον αὐτοὺς κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν.
But I withheld My hand and acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.
καὶ ἐξῆρα τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τοῦ διασκορπίσαι αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, διασπεῖραι αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς χώραις,
However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.
ἀνθʼ ὧν τὰ δικαιώματά μου οὐκ ἐποίησαν, καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου ἀπώσαντο, καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἐβεβήλουν, καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν.
For they did not practice My ordinances, but they rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, fixing their eyes on the idols of their fathers.
καὶ ἐγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς προστάγματα οὐ καλὰ καὶ δικαιώματα ἐν οἷς οὐ ζήσονται ἐν αὐτοῖς.
I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.
καὶ μιανῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς δόμασιν αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ διαπορεύεσθαίμε πᾶν διανοῖγον μήτραν ὅπως ἀφανίσω αὐτοὺς.
And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.
Διὰ τοῦτο λάλησον πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς Γάδε λέγει Κύριος Ἕῳς τούτου παρώργισάν με οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς παραπτώμασιν αὐτῶν ἐν οἷς παρέπεσον εἰς ἐμέ.
Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me.
καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἄρα τὴν χεῖρα τὴν χεῖρά μου δοῦναι αὐτοῖς, καὶ εἶδον πάντα βουνὸν ὑψηλὸν καὶ πᾶν ξύλον κατάσκιον καὶ ἔθυσαν ἐκεῖ τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔταξαν ἐκεῖ ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας καὶ ἔσπεισαν ἐκεῖ σπονδὰς αὐτῶν.
When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.
καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτοὺς Τίς ἐστιν ἁβανὰ ὅτι ὑμεῖς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῖ; καὶ ἐπεκάλεσαν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἁβανὰ ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας.
So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah (note: Bamah means high place.).)
διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραήλ Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Εἰ ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε;
Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations?
καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν δομάτων ὑμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀφορισμοῖς οἷς ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν ὑμῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποκριθῶ ὑμῖν, οἶκος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ; ζῶ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος, εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν, καὶ εἰ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν τοῦτο.
When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire (note: Literally making your sons pass through the fire), you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!
καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς λέγετε Ἐσόμεθα ὡς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ὡς αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ λατρεύειν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις.
When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass.
διὰ τοῦτο ζῶ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος. ἐν χειρὶ κραταιῷ καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ καὶ ἐν θυμῷ κεχυμένῳ βασιλεύσω ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς,
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.
καὶ ἐξάξω ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν, καὶ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν οὗ διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῖς ἐν χειρὶ κραταιῷ καὶ βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ καὶ ἐν θυμῷ κεχυμένῳ.
With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you (note: LXX receive you; see also 2 Corinthians 6:17.) out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered.
καὶ ἄξω ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον τῶν λαῶν, καὶ διακριθήσομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ πρόσωπον κατὰ πρόσωπον.
And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
ἃν τρόπον διεκρίθην πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, οὕτως κρινῶ ὑμᾶς, λέγει Κύριος.
Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt (note: Or in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt), so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.
καὶ διάξω ὑμᾶς ὑπὸ τὴν ῥάβδον μου, καὶ εἰσάξω ὑμᾶς ἐν ἀριθμῷ,
I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
καὶ ἐλέγξω ἐξ ὑμῶν τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς καὶ τοὺς ἀφεστηκότας, διότι ἐκ τῆς παροικεσίας αὐτων ἐξάξω αὐτούς, καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται· καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ κύριος Κύριος.
And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
καὶ ὑμεῖς, οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, τάδε λέγει κύριος Κύριος Ἐκαστος τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ ἐξάρατε, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰ μὴ ὑμεῖς εἰσακούετέ μου, καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ ἅγιον οὐ βεβηλώσετε οὐκέτι ἐν τοῖς δώροις ὑμῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ὑμῶν,
And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.
διότι ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἁγίου μου, ἐπʼ ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ, λέγει κύριος Κύριος, ἐκεῖ δουλεύσουσίν μοι πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τέλος. καὶ ἐκεῖ προσδέξομαι καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐπισκέψομαι τὰς ἀπαρχὰς ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν ἀφορισμῶν ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγιάσμασιν ὑμῶν.
For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.
ἐν ὀσμῇ εὐωδίας προσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς, ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ εἰσδέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν ἐν αἷς διεσκορπίσθητε ἐν αὐταῖς, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῖν κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν λαῶν.
When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.
καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ Κύριος, ἐν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὴν γῆν εἰς ἣν ἤρα τὴν χεῖρά μου τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτὴν τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν.
Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land that I swore to give your fathers.
καὶ μνησθήσεσθε ἐκεῖ τὰς ὁδοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ὑμῶν ἐν οἷς ἐμιαίνεσθε ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ κόψεσθε τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν ἐν πάσαις ταῖς κακίαις ὑμῶν.
There you will remember your ways and all the deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done.
καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ Κύριος, ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί με οὕτως ὑμῖν ὅπως τὸ ὄνομά μου μὴ βεβηλωθη κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς ὑμῶν τὰς κακὰς καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ὑμῶν τὰ διεφθαρμένα, λέγει Κύριος.
Then you will know, O house of Israel, that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for the sake of My name and not according to your wicked ways and corrupt acts, declares the Lord GOD.”
Υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου. στήρισον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπὶ Θαιμὰν καὶ ἐπίβλεψον ἐπὶ Δαγὼν καὶ προφήτευσον ἐπὶ δρυμὸν ἡγούμενον Νάγεβ,
“Son of man, set your face toward the south (note: Hebrew toward Teman), preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.
καὶ ἐρεῖς τῷ δρυμῷ ΝάγεβἌκουε λόγον Κυρίου Τάδε λέγει κύριος Κύριος Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀνάπτω ἐν σοὶ πῦρ, καὶ καταφάγεται ἐν σοὶ ξύλον χλωρὸν καὶ πᾶν ξύλον ξηρόν, οὐ σβεσθήσεται ἡ φλὸξ ἡ ἐξαφθεῖσα, καὶ κατακαυθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶν πρόσωπον ἀπὸ ἀπηλιώτου ἕως βορρᾶ.
Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.
καὶ ἐπιγνώσονται πᾶσα σὰρξ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ἐξέκαυσα αὐτό, οὐ σβεσθήσεται.
Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”
καὶ εἶπα Μηδαμῶς, κύριε Κύριε· αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν πρὸς μέ Οὐχὶ παραβολή ἐστιν λεγομένη αὕτη;
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”