OET interlinear LUKE 20:18

20:18

In 20:17 Jesus compared himself as the Messiah to a stone that was rejected by the builders. Here in 20:18 Jesus continued to compare himself to a stone, but he referred to different verses in the Old Testament. He probably alluded to Isaiah 8:14–15 and Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45, but he did not quote them exactly.

Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed: Here Jesus used two comparisons to describe what will happen to people who reject him as the Messiah. The two comparisons have the same meaning: people who reject Jesus will be destroyed.Some scholars suggest that the comparisons have somewhat different meanings. They imply that being “broken to pieces” may not imply complete destruction as “crushed” does. However, the Notes follows the scholars who interpret both being “broken to pieces” and being “crushed” as implying complete destruction. The NET note says: “This proverb basically means that the stone crushes, without regard to whether it falls on someone or someone falls on it.”According to some scholars, the image that Jesus used here may refer to the way a clay pot is broken or crushed by a stone. Marshall (p. 732) says, “The imagery may be that of a pot falling on a stone and being dashed in pieces…; alternatively the stone may fall on the pot and destroy it.” Nolland (p. 953) refers to a similar saying from Midrash Esther 3:6: “If a stone falls on a pot, woe to the pot! If the pot falls on the stone, woe to the pot! Either way, woe to the pot!” The Uma back translation on TW translates 20:18 as, “Like a pot that falls on a stone breaks, like a pot that is squeezed by a stone is-smashed, like that also will be the people who refuse/deny me.” They will be like a person who falls on a large stone or like someone on whom the stone falls.

In some languages it may be helpful to use a simile and make the meaning more explicit. For example:

A person who rejects the Messiah is like someone who falls on a huge stone. He will be broken to pieces. Or he is like a person on whom the huge stone falls. He will be completely crushed.

It may also be helpful to include a footnote. For example:

Here the stone represents Jesus. Jesus was saying that the people who reject him will be destroyed.

20:18a

Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces: This clause refers to what happens to a person who falls on the stone.Some commentators believe that the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as “falls on” means “stumble over” in this context. The NT writers refer to Jesus several times as a stone over which people stumble (Romans 9:31–33, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 1 Peter 2:8). This interpretation is followed by the NLT and CEV. The other English versions on TW have “falls on,” and this interpretation is also followed by many commentators. Nolland (p. 953) says, “The falling involved is…likely to be that of falling from a height and being crushed upon impact with this unyielding stone….” The IVP Bible Background Commentary (p. 244) says, “’Falling on’ the cornerstone reflects Isaiah 8:14–15 (cf. 28:16); the stone falling on the offender reflects Daniel 2:34, 2:44, where God’s kingdom portrayed as a rock, crushes its earthly challengers.” Morris (p. 313) says, “The imagery changes. Now it is not the value to be placed on the stone that is in mind, but the destructive power of the stone as against flesh and blood. To fall on the stone or have the stone fall on one in either case means destruction. People may reject and oppose Jesus but it is they, not he, who will suffer. The second part of the saying will refer to the future judgment. It will be their attitude to Jesus that will mean the destruction of the people of his day.” The clause is a metaphor. It indicates that if a person rejects the Messiah, the person will be completely destroyed. In some languages it is not natural to speak of a person being broken to pieces. Some other ways to translate this are:

• Use a more general expression. For example:

  The man who falls on that stone will be broken (JBP)

• Refer more specifically to the person’s body. For example:

  If a person falls on that stone, his body/bones will be completely broken up

  All those who fall on this stone their bodies will be crumbledYakan back translation on TW.

Translate the metaphor in a way that is natural in your language.

will be broken to pieces: The Greek word that the BSB translates as will be broken to pieces is passive. In some languages it may be more natural use an active verb here. For example:

the stone will break/shatter him into pieces.

20:18b

but he on whom it falls will be crushed: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as but introduces a situation that is different from the one in 20:18a, but it has a similar result. In some languages it may be more natural to use a conjunction like “and.” For example:

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken, and the person on whom it falls, that person will be crushed! (NCV)

In some languages a conjunction is not needed. For example:

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person. (GW)

he on whom it falls will be crushed: In Greek this clause literally says “when it falls on anyone, it crushes him.” Notice that the BSB translated the verb “crush” with a passive verb. In many languages it is natural to translate it as active. See the examples in the preceding note.

The verb “crush” indicates here that the stone will smash or flatten the person. It may imply that it will completely grind the person to dust. For example:

that person will be crushed to dust (GNT)