And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- KJV And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
- BSB Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- NKJV And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
- NLT Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus calls those with ears to hear to listen. It matters because it places responsibility on each hearer to respond to the word.
Overview
This refrain summons hearers to move beyond surface listening to true understanding and obedience. It signals that the parable carries weight that only the receptive will perceive. Jesus underscores that spiritual hearing is a gift to be exercised, and that careless hearing leaves one outside the kingdom's understanding.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mark 4:23–24If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- Matt 11:15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
- Rev 3:22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
- Mark 7:14–15He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.
- Rev 3:13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
- Luke 8:18Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”
- Rev 3:6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
- Matt 15:10He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand.
- Matt 13:9He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- Mark 4:3“Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 4:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.