The primary verb for hearing — encompassing physical perception of sound, attentive listening, understanding, and obedient response. From this root come akouē (a hearing, the thing heard) and the English word 'acoustics.' In biblical usage, hearing always implies more than passive reception: to truly hear is to respond.
The theology of hearing mirrors the Hebrew shāmaʿ (H8085), where hearing and obeying are inseparable. Jesus repeatedly insists: 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear' (Matt 11:15; Mark 4:9; Rev 2:7) — hearing is not automatic but requires spiritual capacity. The parable of the sower is fundamentally about how people hear the word (Mark 4:3-20). Paul develops a theology of hearing-faith: 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God' (Rom 10:17). In John's Gospel, Jesus declares that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27), making spiritual hearing the mark of belonging to Christ. Conversely, not hearing is judgment: 'Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word' (John 8:43).