Matthew 7:24-29
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The Two Foundations. 24 [a]“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.(A) 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.(B) But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
28 [b]When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 [c](C)for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 7:24–27 The conclusion of the discourse (cf. Lk 6:47–49). Here the relation is not between saying and doing as in Mt 7:15–23 but between hearing and doing, and the words of Jesus are applied to every Christian (everyone who listens).
- 7:28–29 When Jesus finished these words: this or a similar formula is used by Matthew to conclude each of the five great discourses of Jesus (cf. Mt 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).
- 7:29 Not as their scribes: scribal instruction was a faithful handing down of the traditions of earlier teachers; Jesus’ teaching is based on his own authority. Their scribes: for the implications of their, see note on Mt 4:23.
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