What Does Luke 6:47 Mean?
Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you whom he is like.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:THE KEY
Here, doing is the form that hearing takes when Jesus’ words become something your life makes.
THE MEANING
You come to Jesus, hear his sayings, and do them; the verse names this as a recognizable shape of life. His words move from what reaches your ears into what your life makes. This is the likeness Jesus makes visible.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Being near Jesus and understanding his sayings is enough, even when nothing in your life takes their shape.
THE ROOT
ποιεῖ
poiei
GROWS FROM
ποιε-
poie-
To make, produce, or do.
The word translated “doeth” also carries the sense of making or producing. Jesus’ sayings take form in what you do, so the words heard become something your life makes.
ALSO GROWS
poiēma: A thing made; a work or product.
ποίημα
This branch makes visible the movement from hearing words to a life shaped by them.
poiētēs: A maker or doer.
ποιητής
The same word family names the person by what they bring into action.
ἀκούει
akouei
GROWS FROM
ἀκου-
akou-
To hear or listen.
“heareth” in this verse is akouei. Luke distinguishes hearing Jesus’ sayings from doing them, while the Greek word family also connects hearing with responsive listening. The distinction lets you see the movement from receiving the words to giving them form.
ALSO GROWS
akoē: Hearing or a report.
ἀκοή
The same stem can name both the act of hearing and what is heard.
hypakoē: Obedience; responsive listening.
ὑπακοή
This related word uses the same hearing stem, linking listening with response.
THE PATTERN
A received word takes form through action, so hearing is disclosed by what the hearer does.
But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.But be makers of the word, and not hearers only, miscounting yourselves.Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves me, that one will guard my word, and my Father will love that one, and we will come to him and make a place to remain with him.THE THREAD
My sheep hear and respond to my voice, and I perceive them, and they follow me.Luke’s “heareth” and John’s “hear” are forms of ἀκούω (akouō), meaning to hear or listen. John shows the movement onward: those who hear Jesus’ voice follow him, while Luke spells it out as hearing his sayings and doing them.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us