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Matthew 13:9
Who has ears to hear,
The Parables, the Sower
Matthew 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The one having ears, he must listen!
Greek
Greek Word Order
We must want to understand in order to hear.
Lost in Translation
The verb "listen" at the end it in the form of a third-party command. The sense is that he must listen or that Jesus desires that he listen.
Vocabulary (Greek word by word)
Ὁ (article sg masc nom ) "Who" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."
ἔχων (part sg pres act masc nom) "Hath" is from echo, which means "to have," "to hold," "to possess," "to keep," "to have charge of," "to maintain," "to hold fast," "to bear," "to keep close," "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
ὦτα (noun pl neut acc) "Ears" is from ous, which means "ear" and things that resemble an ear, such as a handle on pitchers, cups, etc.
ἀκουέτω. (3rd sg pres imperat act) "To hear...let him hear" is from akouo, which means "hear of," "hear tell of," "what one actually hears," "know by hearsay," "listen to," "give ear to," "hear and understand," and "understand."
KJV — word by word
Who - The word translated as "who" is from the Greek article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" especially when it precedes the verb form that follows.
hath - (WF) The word translated as "hath" is a verb meaning "to possess," "to hold," or "to keep" but it is in the form of adjective, having."
ears - "Ears" is from the Greek word for "ears" or any similar "handles" on the sides of something. The term is also a metaphor for understanding.
to hear, -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "to hear" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
let -- This "let" is the helping verb used to translate the Greek form of the third-person command. In English all commands are in the second-person. This form is used as something like our word "must."
him -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
hear. - "Hear" is from a verb that means "to hear," "to listen," and "to understand." It is in the form of a command, that in English, is usually in the second person, but this is the third-person.
NIV — word by word
Who - The word translated as "who" is from the Greek article, "the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" especially when it precedes the verb form that follows.
has - (WF) The word translated as "has" is a verb meaning "to possess," "to hold," or "to keep" but it is in the form of adjective, having."
ears - "Ears" is from the Greek word for "ears" or any similar "handles" on the sides of something. The term is also a metaphor for understanding.
let -- This "let" is the helping verb used to translate the Greek form of the third-person command. In English all commands are in the second-person. This form is used as something like our word "must."
them -- (WN) There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences. However, the verb is singular, not plural.
hear. - "Hear" is from a verb that means "to hear," "to listen," and "to understand." It is in the form of a command, that in English, is usually in the second person, but this is the third-person.
Related Verses
Matthew 11:15 He who has ears to hear,
Mark 4:9 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. ›
Mark 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill;
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun