35 Bible Verses about Architecture

These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.

“They are to make a sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.

“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with 10 curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them. The length of each curtain should be 42 feet, and the width of each curtain six feet; all the curtains are to have the same measurements. Five of the curtains should be joined together, and the other five curtains joined together. read more.
Make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. Make 50 loops on the one curtain and make 50 loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops line up together. Also make 50 gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single unit. “You are to make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; make 11 of these curtains. The length of each curtain should be 45 feet and the width of each curtain six feet. All 11 curtains are to have the same measurements. Join five of the curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. Then fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. Make 50 loops on the edge of the one curtain, the outermost in the first set, and make 50 loops on the edge of the corresponding curtain of the second set. Make 50 bronze clasps; put the clasps through the loops and join the tent together so that it is a single unit. As for the flap that is left over from the tent curtains, the leftover half curtain is to hang down over the back of the tabernacle. The half yard on one side and the half yard on the other of what is left over along the length of the tent curtains should be hanging down over the sides of the tabernacle on either side to cover it. Make a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red and a covering of manatee skins on top of that. “You are to make upright planks of acacia wood for the tabernacle. The length of each plank is to be 15 feet, and the width of each plank 27 inches. Each plank must be connected together with two tenons. Do the same for all the planks of the tabernacle. Make the planks for the tabernacle as follows: 20 planks for the south side, and make 40 silver bases under the 20 planks, two bases under the first plank for its two tenons, and two bases under the next plank for its two tenons; 20 planks for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, along with their 40 silver bases, two bases under the first plank and two bases under each plank; and make six planks for the west side of the tabernacle. Make two additional planks for the two back corners of the tabernacle. They are to be paired at the bottom, and joined together at the top in a single ring. So it should be for both of them; they will serve as the two corners. There are to be eight planks with their silver bases: 16 bases; two bases under the first plank and two bases under each plank. “You are to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the planks on one side of the tabernacle, five crossbars for the planks on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the planks of the back side of the tabernacle on the west. The central crossbar is to run through the middle of the planks from one end to the other. Then overlay the planks with gold, and make their rings of gold as the holders for the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold. You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain. “You are to make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it. Hang it on four gold-plated posts of acacia wood that have gold hooks and that stand on four silver bases. Hang the veil under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the veil, so the veil will make a separation for you between the holy place and the most holy place. Put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. Place the table outside the veil and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side. “For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. Make five posts of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold; their hooks are to be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.

Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple and its buildings, treasuries, upper rooms, inner rooms, and a room for the mercy seat. The plans contained everything he had in mind for the courts of the Lord’s house, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of God’s house, and the treasuries for what is dedicated.

Solomon began to build the temple for the Lord in the four hundred eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the second month, in the month of Ziv. The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The portico in front of the temple sanctuary was 30 feet long extending across the temple’s width, and 15 feet deep in front of the temple. read more.
He also made windows with beveled frames for the temple. He then built a chambered structure along the temple wall, encircling the walls of the temple, that is, the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. The lowest chamber was 7½ feet wide, the middle was nine feet wide, and the third was 10½ feet wide. He also provided offset ledges for the temple all around the outside so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls. The temple’s construction used finished stones cut at the quarry so that no hammer, chisel, or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built. The door for the lowest side chamber was on the right side of the temple. They went up a stairway to the middle chamber, and from the middle to the third. When he finished building the temple, he paneled it with boards and planks of cedar. He built the chambers along the entire temple, joined to the temple with cedar beams; each story was 7½ feet high.

David concluded, “By the Lord’s hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.”

Then Solomon began to build the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the site David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. He began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign. These are Solomon’s foundations for building God’s temple: the length was 90 feet, and the width 30 feet. read more.
The portico, which was across the front extending across the width of the temple, was 30 feet wide; its height was 30 feet; he overlaid its inner surface with pure gold. The larger room he paneled with cypress wood, overlaid with fine gold, and decorated with palm trees and chains. He adorned the temple with precious stones for beauty, and the gold was the gold of Parvaim. He overlaid the temple—the beams, the thresholds, its walls and doors—with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls. Then he made the most holy place; its length corresponded to the width of the temple, 30 feet, and its width was 30 feet. He overlaid it with 45,000 pounds of fine gold. The weight of the nails was 20 ounces of gold, and he overlaid the ceiling with gold. He made two cherubim of sculptured work, for the most holy place, and he overlaid them with gold. The overall length of the wings of the cherubim was 30 feet: the wing of one was 7½ feet, touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet, touching the wing of the other cherub. The wing of the other cherub was 7½ feet, touching the wall of the room; its other wing was 7½ feet, reaching the wing of the other cherub. The wingspan of these cherubim was 30 feet. They stood on their feet and faced the larger room. He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, and he wove cherubim into it. In front of the temple he made two pillars, each 27 feet high. The capital on top of each was 7½ feet high. He had made chainwork in the inner sanctuary and also put it on top of the pillars. He made 100 pomegranates and fastened them into the chainwork. Then he set up the pillars in front of the sanctuary, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz.

He made a bronze altar 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 15 feet high. Then he made the cast metal reservoir, 15 feet from brim to brim, perfectly round. It was 7½ feet high and 45 feet in circumference. The likeness of oxen was below it, completely encircling it, 10 every half yard, completely surrounding the reservoir. The oxen were cast in two rows when the reservoir was cast. read more.
It stood on 12 oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The reservoir was on top of them and all their hindquarters were toward the center. The reservoir was three inches thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or a lily blossom. It could hold 11,000 gallons. He made 10 basins for washing and he put five on the right and five on the left. The parts of the burnt offering were rinsed in them, but the reservoir was used by the priests for washing. He made the 10 gold lampstands according to their specifications and put them in the sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left. He made 10 tables and placed them in the sanctuary, five on the right and five on the left. He also made 100 gold bowls. He made the courtyard of the priests and the large court, and doors for the court. He overlaid the doors with bronze. He put the reservoir on the right side, toward the southeast. Then Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the bowls.

So Huram finished doing the work that he was doing for King Solomon in God’s temple: two pillars; the bowls and the capitals on top of the two pillars; the two gratings for covering both bowls of the capitals that were on top of the pillars; the 400 pomegranates for the two gratings (two rows of pomegranates for each grating covering both capitals’ bowls on top of the pillars). He also made the water carts and the basins on the water carts. The one reservoir and the 12 oxen underneath it, the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all their utensils—Huram-abi made them for King Solomon for the Lord’s temple. All these were made of polished bronze. The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zeredah. Solomon made all these utensils in such great abundance that the weight of the bronze was not determined. Solomon also made all the equipment in God’s temple: the gold altar; the tables on which to put the bread of the Presence; the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn in front of the inner sanctuary according to specifications; the flowers, lamps, and gold tongs—of purest gold; the wick trimmers, sprinkling basins, ladles, and firepans—of purest gold; and the entryway to the temple, its inner doors to the most holy place, and the doors of the temple sanctuary—of gold.

just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used. Then they offered burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings on it.

If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it.

King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. When he saw the altar that was in Damascus, King Ahaz sent a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction to Uriah the priest. Uriah built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz sent from Damascus. Therefore, by the time King Ahaz came back from Damascus, Uriah the priest had completed it.

If you build a new house, make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it.

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured, on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me, and He brought me there. In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. read more.
He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.” Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple. The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six units of 21 inches; each unit was the standard length plus three inches. He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was about 10 feet, and its height was the same. Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10 feet deep—the first threshold was 10 feet deep. Each recess was about 10 feet long and 10 feet deep, and there was a space of 8¾ feet between the recesses. The inner threshold of the gate on the temple side next to the gate’s portico was about 10 feet. Next he measured the portico of the gate; it was 14 feet, and its pilasters were 3½ feet. The portico of the gate was on the temple side. There were three recesses on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the pilasters on either side also had the same measurements. Then he measured the width of the gate’s entrance; it was 17½ feet, while the width of the gateway was 22¾ feet. There was a barrier of 21 inches in front of the recesses on both sides, and the recesses on each side were 10½ feet square. Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one recess to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was 43¾ feet. The openings of the recesses faced each other. Next, he measured the pilasters—105 feet. The gate extended around to the pilaster of the court. The distance from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the gate’s portico on the inside was 87½ feet. The recesses and their pilasters had beveled windows all around the inside of the gateway. The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each pilaster was decorated with palm trees. Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a paved surface laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement, which flanked the gates and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the exterior front of the inner court; it was 175 feet. This was the east; next the north is described. He measured the gate of the outer court facing north, both its length and width. Its three recesses on each side, its pilasters, and its portico had the same measurements as the first gate: 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to the gate, and its portico was ahead of them. The inner court had a gate facing the north gate, like the one on the east. He measured the distance from gate to gate; it was 175 feet. He brought me to the south side, and there was also a gate on the south. He measured its pilasters and portico; they had the same measurements as the others. Both the gate and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. Its stairway had seven steps, and its portico was ahead of them. It had palm trees on its pilasters, one on each side. The inner court had a gate on the south. He measured from gate to gate on the south; it was 175 feet. Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate. When he measured the south gate, it had the same measurements as the others. Its recesses, pilasters, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. (There were porticoes all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide.) Its portico faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees. Its stairway had eight steps. Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. When he measured the gate, it had the same measurements as the others. Its recesses, pilasters, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. Its portico faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps. Then he brought me to the north gate. When he measured it, it had the same measurements as the others, as did its recesses, pilasters, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. Its portico faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps. There was a chamber whose door opened into the portico of the gate. The burnt offering was to be washed there. Inside the portico of the gate there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, sin offering, and restitution offering. Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico. So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done. There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering, each 31½ inches long, 31½ inches wide, and 21 inches high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them. There were three-inch hooks fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables. Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, there were chambers for the singers: one beside the north gate, facing south, and another beside the south gate, facing north. Then the man said to me: “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple. The chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the ones from the sons of Levi who may approach the Lord to serve Him.” Next he measured the court. It was square, 175 feet long and 175 feet wide. The altar was in front of the temple. Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the pilasters of the portico; they were 8¾ feet thick on each side. The width of the gateway was 24½ feet, and the side walls of the gate were 5¼ feet wide on each side. The portico was 35 feet across and 21 feet deep, and 10 steps led up to it. There were pillars by the pilasters, one on each side.

Next he brought me into the great hall and measured the pilasters; on each side the width of the pilaster was 10½ feet. The width of the entrance was 17½ feet, and the side walls of the entrance were 8¾ feet wide on each side. He also measured the length of the great hall, 70 feet, and the width, 35 feet. He went inside the next room and measured the pilasters at the entrance; they were 3½ feet wide. The entrance was 10½ feet wide, and the width of the entrance’s side walls on each side was 12¼ feet. read more.
He then measured the length of the room adjacent to the great hall, 35 feet, and the width, 35 feet. And he said to me, “This is the most holy place.” Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10½ feet thick. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was seven feet. The side rooms were arranged one above another in three stories of 30 rooms each. There were ledges on the wall of the temple all around to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be in the temple wall itself. The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive story, for the structure surrounding the temple went up by stages. This was the reason for the temple’s broadness as it rose. And so, one would go up from the lowest story to the highest by means of the middle one. I saw that the temple had a raised platform surrounding it; this foundation for the side rooms was 10½ feet high. The thickness of the outer wall of the side rooms was 8¾ feet. The free space between the side rooms of the temple and the outer chambers was 35 feet wide all around the temple. The side rooms opened into the free space, one entrance toward the north and another to the south. The area of free space was 8¾ feet wide all around. Now the building that faced the temple yard toward the west was 122½ feet wide. The wall of the building was 8¾ feet thick on all sides, and the building’s length was 157½ feet. Then the man measured the temple; it was 175 feet long. In addition, the temple yard and the building, including its walls, were 175 feet long. The width of the front of the temple along with the temple yard to the east was 175 feet. Next he measured the length of the building facing the temple yard to the west, with its galleries on each side; it was 175 feet.

The interior of the great hall and the porticoes of the court— the thresholds, the beveled windows, and the balconies all around with their three levels opposite the threshold—were overlaid with wood on all sides. They were paneled from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), reaching to the top of the entrance, and as far as the inner temple and on the outside. On every wall all around, on the inside and outside, was a pattern carved with cherubim and palm trees. There was a palm tree between each pair of cherubim. Each cherub had two faces: a human face turned toward the palm tree on one side, and a lion’s face turned toward it on the other. They were carved throughout the temple on all sides. Cherubim and palm trees were carved from the ground to the top of the entrance and on the wall of the great hall. The doorposts of the great hall were square, and the front of the sanctuary had the same appearance. The altar was made of wood, 5¼ feet high and 3½ feet long. It had corners, and its length and sides were of wood. The man told me, “This is the table that stands before the Lord.” The great hall and the sanctuary each had a double door, and each of the doors had two swinging panels. There were two panels for one door and two for the other. Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the great hall like those carved on the walls. There was a wooden canopy outside, in front of the portico. There were beveled windows and palm trees on both sides, on the side walls of the portico, the side rooms of the temple, and the canopies.

Then the man led me out by way of the north gate into the outer court. He brought me to the group of chambers opposite the temple yard and opposite the building to the north. Along the length of the chambers, which was 175 feet, there was an entrance on the north; the width was 87½ feet. Opposite the 35 foot space belonging to the inner court and opposite the paved surface belonging to the outer court, the structure rose gallery by gallery in three tiers. read more.
In front of the chambers was a walkway toward the inside, 17½ feet wide and 175 feet long, and their entrances were on the north. The upper chambers were narrower because the galleries took away more space from them than from the lower and middle stories of the building. For they were arranged in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle stories. A wall on the outside ran in front of the chambers, parallel to them, toward the outer court; it was 87½ feet long. For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet long. At the base of these chambers there was an entryway on the east side as one enters them from the outer court. In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the south, there were chambers facing the temple yard and the western building, with a passageway in front of them, just like the chambers that faced north. Their length and width, as well as all their exits, measurements, and entrances, were identical. The entrance at the beginning of the passageway, the way in front of the corresponding wall as one enters on the east side, was similar to the entrances of the chambers that were on the south side. Then the man said to me, “The northern and southern chambers that face the temple yard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will deposit the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and restitution offerings—for the place is holy. Once the priests have entered, they must not go out from the holy area to the outer court until they have removed the clothes they minister in, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they approach the public area.” When he finished measuring inside the temple complex, he led me out by way of the gate that faced east and measured all around the complex. He measured the east side with a measuring rod;
it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.
He measured the north side;
it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.
He measured the south side;
it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.
Then he turned to the west side
and measured 875 feet by the measuring rod. He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy from the common.

“As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities. Let them measure its pattern, and they will be ashamed of all that they have done. Reveal the design of the temple to them—its layout with its exits and entrances—its complete design along with all its statutes, design specifications, and laws. Write it down in their sight so that they may observe its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out. This is the law of the temple: all its surrounding territory on top of the mountain will be especially holy. Yes, this is the law of the temple. read more.
“These are the measurements of the altar in units of length (each unit being the standard length plus three inches): the gutter is 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide, with a rim of nine inches around its edge. This is the base of the altar. The distance from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge is 3½ feet, and the width of the ledge is 21 inches. There are seven feet from the small ledge to the large ledge, whose width is also 21 inches. The altar hearth is seven feet high, and four horns project upward from the hearth. The hearth is square, 21 feet long by 21 feet wide. The ledge is 24½ feet long by 24½ feet wide, with four equal sides. The rim all around it is 10½ inches, and its gutter is 21 inches all around it. The altar’s steps face east.”

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Solomon completed his entire palace complex after 13 years of construction. He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars. It was paneled above with cedar at the top of the chambers that rested on 45 pillars, 15 per row. read more.
There were three rows of window frames, facing each other in three tiers. All the doors and doorposts had rectangular frames, the openings facing each other in three tiers. He made the hall of pillars 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. A portico was in front of the pillars, and a canopy with pillars was in front of them. He made the Hall of the Throne where he would judge—the Hall of Judgment. It was paneled with cedar from the floor to the rafters. Solomon’s own palace where he would live, in the other courtyard behind the hall, was of similar construction. And he made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, his wife. All of these buildings were of costly stones, cut to size and sawed with saws on the inner and outer surfaces, from foundation to coping and from the outside to the great courtyard. The foundation was made of large, costly stones 12 and 15 feet long. Above were also costly stones, cut to size, as well as cedar wood. Around the great courtyard, as well as the inner courtyard of the Lord’s temple and the portico of the temple, were three rows of dressed stone and a row of trimmed cedar beams.

A house is built by wisdom,
and it is established by understanding;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.

Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,
his upper rooms through injustice,
who makes his fellow man serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,
who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upper rooms.”
He will cut windows in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted with vermilion.

“Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. You are to make a roof, finishing the sides of the ark to within 18 inches of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks.

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord
and is wonderful in our eyes?

Haven’t you read this Scripture:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.

But He looked at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of this Scripture:

The stone that the builders rejected—
this has become the cornerstone?

So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected—
this One has become the cornerstone,

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. read more.
The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!”

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”

According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, read more.
each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.

So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. read more.
You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it is contained in Scripture:

Look! I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame! read more.
So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected—
this One has become the cornerstone,

“Poor Jerusalem, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
I will set your stones in black mortar,
and lay your foundations in sapphires.
I will make your fortifications out of rubies,
your gates out of sparkling stones,
and all your walls out of precious stones.

For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a very precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal. read more.
The city had a massive high wall, with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the 12 tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had 12 foundations, and the 12 names of the Lamb’s 12 apostles were on the foundations. The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone:

the first foundation jasper,
the second sapphire,
the third chalcedony,
the fourth emerald,
the fifth sardonyx,
the sixth carnelian,
the seventh chrysolite,
the eighth beryl,
the ninth topaz,
the tenth chrysoprase,
the eleventh jacinth,
the twelfth amethyst. The 12 gates are 12 pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The broad street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I did not see a sanctuary in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary.

Where were you when I established the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?