Matthew 11:15 (WEB)

Passage

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Nearby Context

Matthew 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Matthew 11:14 If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

Matthew 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

Matthew 11:17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ears" and "hear". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ears" and "hear", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "If you are willing to receive it..." into verse 16's "But to what shall I compare this...", so "ears" and "hear" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ears" and "hear" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.