Matthew 21:42-46

Context

21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.¹

This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?²

21:43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people³ who will produce its fruit. 21:44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”⁴ 21:45 When⁵ the chief priests and the Pharisees⁶ heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds⁷ regarded him as a prophet.

[21:42] ¹tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.

[21:42] ²sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.

[21:43] ³tn Or “to a nation” (so KJV, NASB, NLT).

[21:44] ⁴tc A few witnesses, especially of the Western text (D 33 it sy^s Or Eus^syr), do not contain 21:44. However, the verse is found in א B C L W Z (Θ) 0102 Ë^1,13 Ï lat sy^c,p,h co and should be included as authentic.

[21:45] ⁵tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[21:45] ⁶sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[21:46] ⁷tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.