Luke 6:47 Meaning: Hearing and Doing Jesus' Words
Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you who he is like.
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like:
Every one who is coming unto me, and is hearing my words, and is doing them, I will shew you to whom he is like;
Every one that comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will shew you to whom he is like.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus explains that genuine discipleship is not just hearing his words but doing them, a faith that acts, not empty profession.
Context
This verse comes near the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, in the sixth chapter of Luke. He has just finished teaching about loving enemies, not judging others, and the connection between a person’s heart and their actions. Just before this verse, Jesus asks a sharp question: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Then he describes the kind of person who actually does what he teaches. He is setting up the parable of the two builders, which follows immediately in verses 48-49. The contrast is between a life built on hearing and obeying, and one built on hearing alone.
Key Words
Three Greek verbs in this verse describe a pattern of life. Erchomenos (“comes”) is in the present tense, not a single visit but an ongoing movement toward Jesus. Akouōn (“hears”) means more than sound reaching the ear; it carries the sense of attending to, understanding, and taking something to heart. Poiōn (“does”) matches it in the same continuous tense, not occasional good deeds but a habitual practice of acting on what Jesus says. Together they paint a picture: a person who keeps coming to Christ, keeps listening to his words, and keeps living them out.
The verb Jesus uses for “I will show” is hupodeixō. It means to place something plainly before the eyes so it can be seen clearly. Jesus is not giving a vague moral lesson; He is about to draw a picture, a house on rock, a house on sand, so the truth is impossible to miss.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this verse as a call to obedient faith, not to self-earned salvation. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges connects it directly to James 1:22: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Adam Clarke notes that Jesus’ phrase “I will show you” means he intends to make his meaning plain through the parable that follows. Some Christians emphasize that works done in faith are necessary for final salvation (as in Catholic teaching), while others understand the verse as describing the necessary fruit of saving faith (as in Reformation traditions). Both see the same point: genuine trust in Christ produces a life that acts on his words.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as Jesus teaching that we must earn our salvation by good works. In fact, the surrounding context shows something different. Jesus has just rebuked those who call him “Lord” but do not obey him (v46). The doing is not the price of admission; it is the evidence that a person has truly come to him. The parable of the two builders makes clear that hearing alone is not enough, but the foundation is still Christ, not the builder’s effort.
Living This Out
This verse asks a simple question of your week: Is there one thing Jesus has said to you that you are not yet doing? It might be forgiving someone who hurt you, giving to someone in need, or speaking with patience instead of anger. Pick that one thing. Then do it, not to earn God’s love, but because you have already come to him and heard his voice. That is what it means to build on rock.
Main takeaway: True discipleship means not just hearing Jesus' words but doing them, this is the foundation that will not fall.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you hear Jesus’ words and do them, you are like someone who builds a house on strong ground. Storms come, but the house stands. Jesus is happy when we listen to him and then do what he says.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus says that hearing his words and doing them is like building a house on rock. It is not enough to just know the Bible stories, we have to let them change how we live. When we obey what Jesus teaches, our lives become strong and steady, even when hard times come.
Questions People Ask
What is the main point of Luke 6:47?
Jesus is describing the person who genuinely follows him: someone who keeps coming to him, listens to his teaching, and actually does what he says. This kind of person will be like a house built on a rock, able to stand through any storm.
Does Luke 6:47 mean we are saved by our works?
No. The verse does not say that doing good works earns salvation. Instead, Jesus contrasts people who call him 'Lord' without obeying (v46) with those whose faith shows itself in action. The doing is the evidence of a real relationship, not the way to start one.
What parable does Jesus tell right after this verse?
Jesus tells the parable of the two builders (Luke 6:48-49). The person who hears and does his words is like a man who dug deep and built his house on rock. A flood comes, but the house stands. The person who hears but does not do is like a man who built without a foundation, the house collapses.
What does the Greek word for 'show' (hupodeixō) mean in this verse?
It means 'to show by placing something before the eyes', to make something plainly visible. Jesus uses this word to say he is about to give a clear, unforgettable picture so his listeners can fully understand what he means.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study