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.

LUKE 6:49KJV
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Luke 6:49 (KJV)

What does Luke 6:49 mean?

Luke 6:49 presents hearing Jesus without doing what he says as a dangerous mismatch. Jesus compares that person to a builder whose house has no foundation: when the stream strikes, the house collapses.

Jesus is speaking to people who have gathered to hear him. His picture would have been familiar in a land where heavy rain could turn a dry streambed into a rushing flow. Unlike the builder in the preceding verse, this builder puts the house directly on the ground.

The Greek behind Luke 6:49

  • “doeth” — ποιέω (poieō): The word carries the sense of doing or putting something into practice. Here it points to a response to Jesus’ words, rather than simply hearing them.
  • “stream” — ποταμός (potamos): The word can mean a river or a stream. In the picture, the water is powerful enough to strike the house.
  • “ruin” — ῥῆγμα (rhēgma): The word carries the sense of a break or collapse. Paired with “great,” it emphasizes the extent of the damage.

Why Luke 6:49 matters

  • Jesus is addressing hearers, not people who have never encountered his words. The person in the comparison “heareth,” yet does not act on what was heard.
  • The collapse answers the question just before the building pictures: “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (verse 46). The comparison gives a concrete image to that gap between words and actions.
  • The stream tests what was already true of the house. The missing foundation was there from the start, even though the fall came “immediately” when the water struck.

Where else these words appear

“against” Greek G4366 · used in 2 verses

  • Luke 6:48 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.

“foundation” Greek G2310 · used in 15 verses

  • Luke 6:48 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.
  • 1 Corinthians 3:10 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.
  • 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

“stream” Greek G4215 · used in 16 verses

  • 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.
  • Acts 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
  • Revelation 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

“without” Greek G5565 · used in 37 verses

  • Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
  • Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
  • Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)