24Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a prudent man who built his house on bedrock. [7:25] And the rain came down and the torrents came and the winds blew and fell upon that house — and it did not fall, for it had been founded on bedrock. [7:26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a dull-witted man who built his house on sand. [7:27] And the rain came down and the torrents came and the winds blew and struck against that house — and it fell, and its collapse was catastrophic.
MAT 7:24-27
The House on the Rock
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Galilee, building a house required careful consideration of location and materials due to the region’s seasonal flash floods and unpredictable weather. A wise builder would choose a solid foundation, often bedrock, to withstand torrents and winds. Conversely, a foolish builder might prioritize convenience or cost, constructing on unstable ground like sand, leading to catastrophic collapse . Jesus’ audience, familiar with such practical realities, would immediately grasp the metaphor. The parable draws on common wisdom traditions, where wisdom and folly are moral categories tied to actions, not just intellect. For Jewish listeners, this imagery echoed prophetic warnings about building lives on obedience to God’s word versus disobedience. In a culture where honor and shame were paramount, the collapse of a house symbolized not just physical ruin but social disgrace, making the stakes of this teaching vividly clear.
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How other translations render this
MAT 7:24
- KJV
- 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:
- 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.
- Koinōnos
- Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a prudent man who built his house on bedrock.
MAT 7:25
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.
- Koinōnos
- And the rain came down and the torrents came and the winds blew and fell upon that house — and it did not fall, for it had been founded on bedrock.
MAT 7:26
- KJV
- 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:
- BSB
- But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
- Koinōnos
- And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a dull-witted man who built his house on sand.
MAT 7:27
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”
- Koinōnos
- And the rain came down and the torrents came and the winds blew and struck against that house — and it fell, and its collapse was catastrophic.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 7:24
- wise:The word translated 'wise' here implies someone who is thoughtful and exercises good judgment, particularly in practical matters and difficult situations, rather than merely possessing intellectual knowledge.
MAT 7:25
- torrents:The term translated 'torrents' literally refers to rivers or streams, suggesting a powerful, flowing body of water that could cause significant damage, not just heavy rain.
MAT 7:26
- foolish:The word translated 'foolish' describes someone who is dull-witted or stupid, lacking common sense and practical understanding, rather than simply making a mistake.
MAT 7:27
- fall:The word translated 'fall' carries a strong sense of collapse or ruin, often implying a catastrophic downfall or destruction, not just a simple tumble.