Matthew 13:9-10

13:9 The one who has ears had better listen!” ¹ 

13:10 Then ²  the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

[13:9]  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, 13:43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).

[13:10]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.