Luke 6:49
in Luke 6But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The torrent crashed against that house, and immediately it fell—and great was its destruction!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Luke 6
Commentary
16 notes on this verseOr, He teaches that the obedience to heavenly precepts is the foundation of all virtue, by means of which this our house can be moved neither by the torrent of pleasures, nor by the violence of spiritual wickedness, neither by the storms of this world, nor by the cloudy disputations of heretics; hence it follows, But the flood came, &c.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Or they build upon the earth without foundation, who upon the quicksand of doubt, which relates to opinion, lay the foundation of their spiritual building, which a few drops of temptation wash away.
He teaches that the foundation of the virtues is obedience of heavenly instructions, whereby this house of ours cannot be shaken by the flow of desires, by the assault of spiritual wickedness, by the rain of the world or the dark arguments of heretics.
(Hom. 24. in Matt.) The Lord also shows us that faith profiteth a man nothing, if his manner of life be corrupt. Hence it follows, But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man, that without a foundation, built an house upon the earth, &c.
The Medieval Church2 voices
The house of the devil is the world which lieth in wickedness, (1 John 5:19.) which he builds upon the earth, because those who obey him he drags down from heaven to earth; he builds without foundation, for sin has no foundation, standing not by its own nature, for evil is without substance, which yet whatever it is, grows up in the nature of good. But because the foundation is called so from fundus, we may not unfitly understand that fundamentum is placed here for fundus. As then he who is fallen into a well is kept at the bottom of the well, so the soul falling away remains stationary, as it were, at the very bottom, as long as it continues in any measure of sin. But not content with the sin into which it is fallen, while daily sinking into worse, it can find no bottom, as it were, in the well to which it may fix itself. But every kind of temptation increasing, both the really bad and the feignedly good become worse, until at last they come to everlasting punishment. Hence it follows, Against which the stream did beat vehemently. By the force of the stream may be understood the trial of the last judgment, when both houses being finished, the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. (Mat. 25:46.)
But he who hears and does not do. Here, after the commendation of the truly obedient, he adds the reproach of the negligent, setting forth first the vice of the negligent, then adding the danger, and appending the downfall. He therefore sets forth first the …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
But he who has heard and not done is like a man building his house upon the earth without a foundation. The house of the devil, the world which is placed in the wicked one, is called not by the dignity of the Creator but …
Into which the river crashed, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great. It is clear that with the onset of any temptation, both the truly wicked and the falsely good soon become worse, until at last they slip into eternal …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But he that heareth, and doth not,.... Hears Christ's sayings externally, but does not obey his commands: is like a man that without a foundation built upon the earth: that is, without digging for a foundation, built his house upon the surface of the earth; "upon the dust of it", as the Syriac version renders it; or, "upon the sand", as Matthew says: "against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great"; See Gill on Mat 7:26. See Gill on Mat 7:27.
The storms and streams of affliction shall not shock them, for their feet are set upon a rock, a rock higher than they. [3.] Their everlasting welfare is secured. In death and judgment they are safe. Obedient believers are kept by the power of Christ, through faith, unto salvation, and shall never perish.
Christ justifies his disciples in a work of necessity for themselves on that day, and that was plucking the ears of corn, when they were hungry on that day. This story here has a date, which we had not in the other evangelists; it was on the second sabbath after the first (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
The ruin of that house was great - On this passage, father Quesnel, who was a most rigid predestinarian, makes the following judicious remark. “It is neither by the speculations of astrologers, nor by the Calvinian assurance of predestination, that we can discover what will be our portion for ever: but it is by the examination of our heart, and the consideration of our life, that we may in some measure prognosticate our eternal state.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
It has been said, with much truth — that no sermon should conclude without some personal application to the consciences of those who hear it. The passage before us is an example of this rule, and a confirmation of its correctness. It is a solemn and heart-searching conclusion, to a most solemn discourse. Let us mark, in these verses — what an old and common sin is profession without practice . It is written that our Lord said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord — and do not do the things which I say?" The Son of God Himself had many followers, who pretended to honor Him by calling Him Lord — but yielded no obedience to His commandments. The evil which our Lord exposes here, has always existed in the Church of God. It was found six hundred years before our Lord's time, in the days of Ezekiel, "My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words — but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion — but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain." (Ezekiel 33:31.) It was found in the primitive Church of Christ, in the days of James. "Be doers of the word," he says, "and not hearers only — deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22.) It is a disease which has never ceased to prevail all over Christendom. It is a soul-ruining plague, which is continually sweeping away crowds of Gospel-hearers down the broad way to destruction! Open sin, and avowed unbelief, no doubt slay their thousands. But profession without practice slays its tens of thousands! Let us settle it in our minds, that no sin is so foolish and unreasonable — as the sin which Jesus here denounces. Common sense alone might tell us that a mere profession and a form of Christianity can profit us nothing — as long as we cleave to sin in our hearts, and live unchristian lives.
THESE parables describe two classes of hearers, but they say nothing of those who are not hearers. Their position and prospects we must infer from what is said of hearers. Our Lord Jesus Christ has come into the world to tell us of the Father's love. And never man spoke as He spoke and yet there are many who refuse to hear Him. I do not mean those who are far away, to whom the name of Jesus is well-near unknown, but I mean persons in this land and especially in this great and highly-favored city who willfully refuse to hear Him whom God has anointed to bring tidings of salvation! Our Lord Jesus is proclaimed, I was about to say, upon the housetops in this city, for even in their music halls and theaters, Christ is preached to the multitude! And at the corners of our streets His banner is lifted up—and yet there are tens of thousands to whom the preaching of the Gospel is as music in the ears of a corpse! They shut their ears and will not hear, though the testimony is concerning God's own Son, eternal life and the way to escape from everlasting wrath! To their own best interests, to their eternal benefit, men are dead—nothing will secure their attention to their God. To what, then, are these men like? They may fitly be compared to the man who built no house whatever and remained homeless by day and without shelters by night. When worldly trouble comes like a storm, those persons who will not hear the Words of Jesus have no consolation to cheer them. When sickness comes, they have no joy of heart to sustain them under its pains. And when death, that most terrible of storms, beats upon them, they feel its full fury, but they cannot find a hiding place. They neglect the housing of their souls and when the hurricane of Almighty Wrath shall break forth in the world to come they will have no place of refuge.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
It has been said, with much truth — that no sermon should conclude without some personal application to the consciences of those who hear it. The passage before us is an example of this rule, and a confirmation of its correctness. It is a solemn and heart-searching conclusion, to a most solemn discourse. Let us mark, in these verses — what an old and common sin is profession without practice . It is written that our Lord said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord — and do not do the things which I say?"
THESE parables describe two classes of hearers, but they say nothing of those who are not hearers. Their position and prospects we must infer from what is said of hearers. Our Lord Jesus Christ has come into the world to tell us of the Father's love. And never man spoke as He spoke and yet there are many who refuse to hear Him.
The words behind it
31 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀκούσας | akousas | having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ποιήσας | poiesas | having done | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ὅμοιός | homoios | like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | it is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀνθρώπῳ | anthropo | to a man | G444 → | 549 times |
| οἰκοδομήσαντι | oikodomesanti | having built | G3618 → | 40 times |
| οἰκίαν | oikian | a house | G3614 → | 93 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆν | gen | ground | G1093 → | 248 times |
| χωρὶς | choris | without | G5565 → | |
| θεμελίου | themeliou | a foundation | G2310 → | 16 times |
| ᾗ | he | on which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| προσέρηξεν | proserexen | burst | G4366 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποταμός, | potamos | stream, | G4215 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εὐθὺς | euthus | immediately | G2112 → | 87 times |
| συνέπεσεν, | sunepesen | it fell, | ||
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | was | G1096 → | 667 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ῥῆγμα | rhegma | ruin | G4485 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκίας | oikias | house | G3614 → | 93 times |
| ἐκείνης | ekeines | that | G1565 → | 260 times |
| μέγα.¶ | mega | great [one]. | G3173 → | 243 times |
ὉThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀκούσαςhaving heard
akousasG191 →425 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ποιήσαςhaving done
poiesasG4160 →569 times
ὅμοιόςlike
homoiosG3664 →45 times
ἐστινit is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἀνθρώπῳto a man
anthropoG444 →549 times
οἰκοδομήσαντιhaving built
oikodomesantiG3618 →40 times
οἰκίανa house
oikianG3614 →93 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γῆνground
genG1093 →248 times
χωρὶςwithout
chorisG5565 →
θεμελίουa foundation
themeliouG2310 →16 times
ᾗon which
heG3739 →1405 times
προσέρηξενburst
proserexenG4366 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ποταμός,stream,
potamosG4215 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εὐθὺςimmediately
euthusG2112 →87 times
συνέπεσεν,it fell,
sunepesen
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐγένετοwas
egenetoG1096 →667 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ῥῆγμαruin
rhegmaG4485 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
οἰκίαςhouse
oikiasG3614 →93 times
ἐκείνηςthat
ekeinesG1565 →260 times
μέγα.¶great [one].
megaG3173 →243 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 33:31So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
it leads to
- Matthew 13:22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
- Psalms 78:36–37
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
- James 1:22–24
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Luke 11:28
But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
- Matthew 13:22
Through
Matthew 23:3So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:5
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Romans 2:19–24
if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,
- 2 Timothy 3:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 6; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1702: “On Laying Foundations” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
