OET interlinear 1 PET 2:7

2:7–8

In 2:7–8, Peter continued to use the metaphor of a cornerstone for Jesus Christ. He contrasted the positive result for any person who believes in Jesus Christ (2:7a) with the negative result for people who do not believe (2:7b–2:8). To prove his point, Peter quotes from two OT passages, Psalm 118:22 (in 2:7) and Isaiah 8:14 (in 2:8).

2:7a

To you who believe, then, this stone is precious: The Greek word that the BSB translates as precious can mean either “honor” or “value/worth/preciousness.” The Greek literally says, “to you therefore the honor/value to the believing ones.” English versions interpret this clause in two ways:

1. Believers receive honor from the stone. For example:

   To you believers it brings honor (NJB) (GW, NJB, NRSV, ESV)

2. The stone has value to the believers. It is precious to them. Translations that follow this interpretation often supply the words this stone, which are not in the Greek text. For example:

   This stone is of great value for you that believe (GNT) (BSB, CEV, KJV, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, REB, RSV, GNT, NABRE, NASB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The great majority of commentatorsSee, for example, Bigg, page 131; Michaels, page 104; Selwyn, page 164; Kistemaker, page 89; Marshall, page 72; Grudem, page 104; and Kelly, page 93. understand this word to mean “honor” in this context. Peter was saying that God honors those who believe in Jesus Christ. The NJB is therefore used as the Source Line in the Display. Here are some other ways to translate this:

This honor, then, is for you who believe (NRSV)

This honor belongs to those who believe. (GW)

So the honor is for you who believe (ESV)

believe: In some languages it may be necessary to make the object of the belief explicit. For example:

believe in this stone

then: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as then is literally “therefore.” It is not a time word but connects this sentence with the last part of the quotation in 2:6. Some English models to follow include:

So (NET)

Therefore (RSV)

2:7b

But to those who do not believe: In 2:7b Peter stopped writing about believers and started writing about people who did not believe in Jesus Christ. Through the end of 2:8, Peter discussed what happens to unbelieving people.

Other ways to translate this verse part include:

But for unbelievers (NJB)

but for those who have no faith (REB)

But to/for the people who do not believe in him

But: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But in this context marks contrast. Peter contrasted the bad result of unbelief (2:7b–8) with what he had just written about the good result for those people who believed in Jesus Christ (2:6c–7a).

believe: In some languages it may be necessary to make the object of the belief explicit. If that is the case in your language, it is recommended that you use the same pronoun that you used in 2:6d:

believe in him

2:7c

Here in 2:7c, Peter quoted from Psalm 118:22.

The stone the builders rejected: Peter continued using the metaphor of a stone to represent Jesus Christ. Here the metaphor is of builders who rejected this stone as if it were unfit for them to use. It may be more natural in your language to make explicit why they rejected the stone. For example:

The stone which the builders rejected as worthless (GNT)

Your translation should not imply that The stone was actually unfit for use. Peter did not mean there was something wrong with Christ. Instead, Peter meant that there was something wrong with the decision of the builders. You may be able to say:

The builders would not use a certain stone

The stone that the builders refused to use

the builders: Writers of the Gospels also quoted Psalm 118:22. They too used it as a metaphor concerning Jesus Christ. In their writings, the builders represented the religious leaders of the Jews (see Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17). In Acts 4:11, Peter himself spoke of the Jewish authorities who had Christ killed as the builders. In this context, however, the builders refers to anyone who rejected Jesus Christ. Some other ways to translate builders are:

workmen

those who make houses

rejected: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as rejected is in the past tense. The Old Testament prophets often wrote about a future event as if it had already happened.

When you translate this verb, you should use a tense that is natural for this situation in your language. For some languages, it is natural to use a future tense. For example:

will reject

A form of this same Greek verb is found at 2:4b. See the note at 2:4b for other ways to translate this verb.

has become the cornerstone: Peter continued the metaphor of the stone. Even though the builders rejected this stone, it became the most important stone.

Neither Peter nor Psalm 118:22 that Peter quoted said how the rejected stone became so important in the building. If your language requires you to specify an agent, then you may make God explicit as the agent. For example:

God has made it the capstone

God used it as the cornerstone of his house

If it is natural in your language to translate 2:7c as a continuation of God talking in 2:6, then you may be able to say:

I made it the cornerstone

I used it as the cornerstone of the building

the cornerstone: The Greek word that the BSB translates as cornerstone may be translated literally as “the head of the corner.” There are two ways of interpreting this phrase:

1. It means “the cornerstone.” A cornerstone is a bottom stone where two walls meet. For example:

   the cornerstone (NCV) (BSB, GW, NASB, NET, NJB, NLT, REB, NCV)

2. It means “the capstone.” A capstone is the top stone of a wall or arch. For example:

   the capstone (NIV) (NIV, compare RSV “the head of the corner”)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions. See how you translated “cornerstone” in 2:6b.