Psalms 118:22

118:22 The stone which the builders discarded ¹ 

has become the cornerstone. ² 

Isaiah 28:16

28:16 Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says:

“Look, I am laying ³  a stone in Zion,

an approved ⁴  stone,

set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. ⁵ 

The one who maintains his faith will not panic. ⁶ 

Zechariah 3:9

3:9 As for the stone ⁷  I have set before Joshua – on the one stone there are seven eyes. ⁸  I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord who rules over all, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. ⁹ 

Matthew 21:42

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

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹⁰ 

This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ¹¹ 

Mark 12:10

12:10 Have you not read this scripture:

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹² 

Acts 4:11

4:11 This Jesus ¹³  is the stone that was rejected by you, ¹⁴  the builders, that has become the cornerstone. ¹⁵ 

Acts 4:1

The Arrest and Trial of Peter and John

4:1 While Peter and John ¹⁶  were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander ¹⁷  of the temple guard ¹⁸  and the Sadducees ¹⁹  came up ²⁰  to them,

Acts 2:7-8

2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ²¹  “Aren’t ²²  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ²³  in our own native language? ²⁴ 

[118:22]  ¹ tn Or “rejected.”

[118:22]  ² tn Heb “the head of the corner.”

[28:16]  ³ tc The Hebrew text has a third person verb form, which does not agree with the first person suffix that precedes. The form should be emended to יֹסֵד (yosed), a Qal active participle used in a present progressive or imminent future sense.

[28:16]  ⁴ tn Traditionally “tested,” but the implication is that it has passed the test and stands approved.

[28:16]  ⁵ sn The reality behind the metaphor is not entirely clear from the context. The stone appears to represent someone or something that gives Zion stability. Perhaps the ideal Davidic ruler is in view (see 32:1). Another option is that the image of beginning a building project by laying a precious cornerstone suggests that God is about to transform Zion through judgment and begin a new covenant community that will experience his protection (see 4:3-6; 31:5; 33:20-24; 35:10).

[28:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “will not hurry,” i.e., act in panic.

[3:9]  ⁷ sn The stone is also a metaphor for the Messiah, a foundation stone that, at first rejected (Ps 118:22-23; Isa 8:13-15), will become the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph 2:19-22).

[3:9]  ⁸ tn Some understand the Hebrew term עַיִן (’ayin) here to refer to facets (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT) or “faces” (NCV, CEV “seven sides”) of the stone rather than some representation of organs of sight.

[3:9]  ⁹ sn Inscriptions were common on ancient Near Eastern cornerstones. This inscription speaks of the redemption achieved by the divine resident of the temple, the Messiah, who will in the day of the Lord bring salvation to all Israel (cf. Isa 66:7-9).

[21:42]  ¹⁰ tn 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]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.

[12:10]  ¹² tn 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.

[4:11]  ¹³ tn Grk “This one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:11]  ¹⁴ tn The word “you” is inserted into the quotation because Peter is making a direct application of Ps 118:22 to his hearers. Because it is not in the OT, it has been left as normal type (rather than bold italic). The remarks are like Acts 2:22-24 and 3:12-15.

[4:11]  ¹⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 which combines the theme of rejection with the theme of God’s vindication/exaltation.

[4:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “While they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:1]  ¹⁷ tn Or “captain.”

[4:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.

[4:1]  ¹⁹ sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 3:7; 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.

[4:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “approached.” This verb often denotes a sudden appearing (BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1).

[2:7]  ²¹ tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).

[2:7]  ²² tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:8]  ²³ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ²⁴ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”