Matthew 7 · Verse 24

Matthew 7:24

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Matthew 7:24, King James Version

Matthew 7:24 in other translations

BSB	Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
WEB	“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
ASV	Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:
YLT	‘Therefore, every one who doth hear of me these words, and doth do them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
DARBY	Whoever therefore hears these my words and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock;
BBE	Everyone, then, to whom my words come and who does them, will be like a wise man who made his house on a rock;
Webster	Therefore whoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:

What does Matthew 7:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

24. Therefore--to bring this discourse to a close. whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them--see Jas 1:22, which seems a plain allusion to these words; also Lu 11:28; Ro 2:13; 1Jo 3:7. I will liken him unto a wise man--a shrewd, prudent, provident man. which built his house upon a rock--the rock of true discipleship, or genuine subjection to Christ.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verses 24-27. Jesus closes the sermon on the mount by a beautiful comparison, illustrating the benefit of attending to his words. It was not sufficient to hear them; they must be obeyed. He compares the man who should hear, and obey him, to a man who built his house on a rock. Palestine was, to a considerable extent, a land of hills and: mountains. Like other countries of that description, it was subject to sudden and violent rains. The Jordan, the principal stream, was annually swollen to a great extent, and became rapid and furious in its course. The streams which ran among the hills, whose channels might have been dry during some months of the year, became suddenly swollen with the rain, and would pour down impetuously into the plains below. Everything in the way of these torrents would be swept off. Even a house erected within the reach of these sudden inundations, and especially if founded on sand, or any unsolid basis, would not stand before them. The rising, bursting stream would shake it to its foundation; the rapid torrent would gradually wash away its base; it would totter and fall, and be swept away. Rocks in that country were common, and it was easy to secure for their houses a solid foundation. No comparison could, to a Jew, have been more striking. So tempests, and storms of affliction and persecution, beat around the soul. Suddenly, when we think we are in safety, the heavens may be overcast; the storm may lower; and calamity beat upon us. In a moment, health, friends, comforts, may be gone. How desirable then to be possessed of something that the tempest cannot reach! Such is an interest in Christ; attention to his words; reliance on his promises; confidence in his protection; and a hope of heaven through his blood. Earthly calamities do not reach these; and, possessed of religion, all the storms and tempests of life may beat harmlessly around us.

There is another point in this comparison. The house built on the sand is beat upon by the floods and rains; its foundation gradually is worn away; it falls, and is borne down the stream, and is destroyed. So falls the slumber. The floods are wearing away his sandy foundation; and soon one tremendous storm shall beat upon him, and he and his hopes shall fall, for ever fall. Out of Christ, perhaps having heard his words from very childhood; perhaps having taught them to others in the Sunday-school; perhaps having been the means of laying the foundation on which others shall build for heaven, he has laid for himself no foundation; and soon an eternal tempest shall beat around his naked soul. How great will be that fall! What will be his emotions when sinking for ever in the flood, and destined for ever to live and writhe in the peltings of that ceaseless storm that shall beat when "God shall rain snares, fire, and a horrible tempest" upon the wicked!

(l) "Therefore" Lk 6:47 (m) "wise man" Ps 111:10, 119:99,130

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine - That is, the excellent doctrines laid down before in this and the two preceding chapters. There are several parables or similitudes like to this in the rabbins. I shall quote but the two following: - Rabbi Eleasar said, "The man whose knowledge exceeds his works, to whom is he like? He is like a tree which had many branches, and only a few roots; and, when the stormy winds came, it was plucked up and eradicated. But he whose good works are greater than his knowledge, to what is he like? He is like a tree which had few branches, and many roots; so that all the winds of heaven could not move it from its place." Pirke Aboth. Elisha, the son of Abuja, said, "The man who studies much in the law, and maintains good works, is like to a man who built a house, laying stones at the foundation, and building brick upon them; and, though many waters come against it, they cannot move it from its place. But the man who studies much in the law, and does not maintain good words, is like to a man who, in building his house, put brick at the foundation, and laid stones upon them, so that even gentle waters shall overthrow that house." Aboth Rab. Nath. Probably our Lord had this or some parable in his eye: but how amazingly improved in passing through his hands! In our Lord's parable there is dignity, majesty, and point, which we seek for in vain in the Jewish archetype. I will liken him unto a wise man - To a prudent man - ανδρι φρονιμω, to a prudent man, a man of sense and understanding, who, foreseeing the evil hideth himself, who proposes to himself the best end, and makes use of the proper means to accomplish it. True wisdom consists in getting the building of our salvation completed: to this end we must build on the Rock, Christ Jesus, and make the building firm, by keeping close to the maxims of his Gospel, and having our tempers and lives conformed to its word and spirit; and when, in order to this, we lean on nothing but the grace of Christ, we then build upon a solid rock.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 7:21-29

Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in…

Read the full comment on Matthew 7:21-29 →

Matthew 7:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΠᾶςPasEveryoneG3956

οὖνounthereforeG3767

ὅστιςhostiswhoeverG3748

ἀκούειakoueihearsG191

μουmouMyG3165

τοὺςtous<the>G3588

λόγουςlogouswordsG3056

τούτουςtoutoustheseG3778

καὶkaiandG2532

ποιεῖpoieidoesG4160

αὐτούς,autousthem,G846

ὁμοιωθήσεταιhomoiōthēsetaihe will be likeG3666

ἀνδρὶandria manG435

φρονίμῳphronimōwiseG5429

ὅστιςhostiswhoG3748

ᾠκοδόμησενōkodomēsenbuiltG3618

αὐτοῦautouhisG846

τὴνtēn<the>G3588

οἰκίανoikianhouseG3614

ἐπὶepiuponG1909

τὴνtēntheG3588

πέτραν.petranrock.G4073

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 7:24

Luke 6:47-49
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
John 13:17
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Luke 11:28
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
James 2:17-26
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? …
1 John 2:3
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
Psalms 111:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
1 John 3:22-24
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Proverbs 10:8
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
James 1:21-27
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. …
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Galatians 6:7-8
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

whosoever.
7,8,13,14; 5:3-12; 28-32; 6:14,15,19-21; 12:50; Lu 6:47-49; 11:28
Joh 13:17; 14:15,22-24; 15:10,14; Ro 2:6-9; Ga 5:6,7; 6:7,8
Jas 1:21-27; 2:17-26; 1Jo 2:3; 3:22-24; 5:3-5; Re 22:14,15
a wise.
Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; 119:99,130; Pr 10:8; 14:8; Jas 3:13-18
which.
1Co 3:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 7:23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:24
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Matthew 7:25
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:24 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Cualquiera, pues, que me oye estas palabras, y las hace, le compararé á un hombre prudente, que edificó su casa sobre la peña;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Quiconque donc entend ces miennes paroles et les met en pratique, je le comparerai à un homme prudent qui a bâti sa maison sur le roc;
German Elberfelder 1871	Jeder nun, der irgend diese meine Worte hört und sie tut, den werde ich einem klugen Manne vergleichen, der sein Haus auf den Felsen baute;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Omnis ergo qui audit verba mea hæc, et facit ea, assimilabitur viro sapienti, qui ædificavit domum suam supra petram,