and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
Parallel translations
- KJV And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
- BSB and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
- NKJV and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
- NASB and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.
- NLT And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
For the disobedient, Christ becomes a stone of stumbling and rock of offense; they stumble by rejecting the word, the destiny appointed for such unbelief. Rejecting Christ leads to judgment that God has ordained.
Overview
Drawing on Isaiah 8:14, Peter says the same Christ who saves believers becomes a stumbling stone to those who disobey the word. The clause 'to which also they were appointed' has long been discussed: many in the Reformed tradition see it pointing to God's sovereign ordaining, while others stress that the appointment falls on those who persist in disobedience. Faithful Christians agree that the stumbling is just, arising from real disobedience, and that God remains sovereign over all.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Isa 8:14He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- 1 Cor 1:23but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,
- 1 Pet 2:7For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,”
- Rom 9:32–33Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
- Rom 9:22What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction,
- Jude 1:4For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.
- 2 Pet 2:3In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
- 1 Th 5:9For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Luke 2:34and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
- 2 Cor 2:16to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
- Exod 9:16but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;
- Isa 57:14He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
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The lamb without blemish foreknown before the world, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, by whose wounds we are healed — the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
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Original language
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