The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Parallel translations
- WEB The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- BSB The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- NKJV The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
- NASB ¶A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
- NLT The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
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
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. It matters because it foretells Christ, rejected by men yet made the foundation of God's people.
Overview
Originally celebrating an unlikely victory, this verse is applied by Jesus and the apostles directly to Christ (Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7). The one despised and crucified is exalted by God as the cornerstone of his church. It is a cornerstone prophecy of the gospel: rejection reversed into the foundation of salvation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Luke 20:17And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
- Matt 21:42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- 1 Pet 2:4–8To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
- Acts 4:11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
- Mark 12:10–11And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
- Eph 2:20–22And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
- Zech 4:7Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 118:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.