Mark 4:9

4:9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!” ¹ 

Mark 4:18

4:18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word,

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¹ tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).