12 The various materials described here, both valuable (gold, silver, precious stones) and worthless (wood, hay, or straw) refer to the quality of work built on the foundation, or possibly to the motivation of those doing the building. The materials themselves have been understood (1) as deeds or (2) as people (since ultimately the passage is addressing those who minister to others).

In other versions

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.

Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

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