Matthew 7 · Verse 26

Matthew 7:26

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Matthew 7:26, King James Version

Matthew 7:26 in other translations

BSBBut everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
WEBEveryone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
ASVAnd every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:
YLT‘And every one who is hearing of me these words, and is not doing them, shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;
DARBYAnd every one who hears these my words and does not do them, he shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand;
BBEAnd everyone to whom my words come and who does them not, will be like a foolish man who made his house on sand;
WebsterAnd every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:

What does Matthew 7:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine--in the attitude of discipleship. and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand--denoting a loose foundation--that of an empty profession and mere external services.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. Mt 7:24

(o) "a foolish man" 1Sam 2:30, Jer 8:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 And every one that heareth - and doeth them not - Was there ever a stricter system of morality delivered by God to man, than in this sermon? He who reads or hears it, and does not look to God to conform his soul and life to it, and notwithstanding is hoping to enter into the kingdom of heaven, is like the fool who built his house on the sand. When the rain, the rivers, and the winds come, his building must fall, and his soul be crushed into the nethermost pit by its ruins. Talking about Christ, his righteousness, merits, and atonement, while the person is not conformed to his word and spirit, is no other than solemn self-deception. Let it be observed, that it is not the man who hears or believes these sayings of Christ, whose building shall stand, when the earth and its works are burnt up; but the man who Does them. Many suppose that the law of Moses is abolished, merely because it is too strict, and impossible to be observed; and that the Gospel was brought in to liberate us from its obligations; but let all such know, that in the whole of the old covenant nothing can be found so exceedingly strict and holy as this sermon, which Christ lays down as the rule by which we are to walk. "Then, the fulfilling of these precepts is the purchase of glory." No, it is the Way only to that glory which has already been purchased by the blood of the Lamb. To him that believes, all things are possible.

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 7:26 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.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
πᾶςpaseveryoneG3956
ὁhowhoG3588
ἀκούωνakouōnis hearingG191
μουmouMyG3165
τοὺςtous<the>G3588
λόγουςlogouswordsG3056
τούτουςtoutoustheseG3778
καὶkaiandG2532
μὴmēnotG3361
ποιῶνpoiōndoingG4160
αὐτοὺςautousthemG846
ὁμοιωθήσεταιhomoiōthēsetaihe will be likenedG3666
ἀνδρὶandrito a manG435
μωρῷmōrōfoolishG3474
ὅστιςhostiswhoG3748
ᾠκοδόμησενōkodomēsenbuiltG3618
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
τὴνtēntheG3588
οἰκίανoikianhouseG3614
ἐπὶepiuponG1909
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἄμμον.ammonsand.G285

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

Cross references for Matthew 7:26

  • Jeremiah 8:9

    The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

  • Luke 6:49

    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.

  • James 2:20

    But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

  • Proverbs 14:1

    Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

  • 1 Samuel 2:30

    Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
doeth.
1Sa 2:30; Pr 14:1; Jer 8:9; Lu 6:49; Jas 2:20

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Matthew 7:26

    And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

  • Matthew 7:27

    And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cualquiera que me oye estas palabras, y no las hace, le compararé á un hombre insensato, que edificó su casa sobre la arena;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quiconque entend ces miennes paroles, et ne les met pas en pratique, sera comparé à un homme insensé qui a bâti sa maison sur le sable;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und jeder, der diese meine Worte hört und sie nicht tut, der wird einem törichten Manne verglichen werden, der sein Haus auf den Sand baute;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et omnis qui audit verba mea hæc, et non facit ea, similis erit viro stulto, qui ædificavit domum suam super arenam: