1 Peter 2:4

A Living Stone, a Chosen People

2:4 So as you come to him, ¹  a living stone rejected by men but ²  chosen and priceless ³  in God’s sight,

1 Peter 2:8

2:8 and a stumbling-stone ⁴  and a rock to trip over. ⁵  They stumble ⁶  because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ⁷ 

¹ tn Grk “to whom coming…you are built up…” as a continuation of the reference to the Lord in v. 3.

² tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two phrases more than can be easily expressed in English.

³ tn Grk “chosen, priceless.”

⁴ tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” The latter phrase uses the term σκάνδαλον (skandalon), denoting an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger and rejection.

⁵ sn A quotation from Isa 8:14.

⁶ tn Grk “who stumble,” referring to “those who do not believe” in vs. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁷ tn Grk “to which they were also destined.”