LUKE 20:17 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) [ref]But he looked them in the eyes and asked, “Then what is this statement that was written in the scriptures?
⇔ ‘The stone which the builders rejected,
⇔ that one became the most important stone.’

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But he, having looked at them, said, “What then is this that is written:
⇔ ‘A stone that the builders rejected,
⇔ this has become the head of the corner’?

UST But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “You can say that, but think about the meaning of these words that are written in the Scriptures.
⇔ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the most important stone in the building.

BLB But having looked at them, He said, "What then is this that has been written: 'The stone which those building rejected, this has become into the head of the corner'?

AICNT But he, looking at them, said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone’?[fn]

20:17, Psalms 118:22

OEB But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘What then is the meaning of this passage? –
⇔ “The stone which the builders despised has now itself become the cornerstone.”

WEBBE But he looked at them and said, “Then what is this that is written,
⇔ ‘The stone which the builders rejected
⇔ was made the chief cornerstone’?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But Jesus looked straight at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘ The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

LSV And He, having looked on them, said, “What, then, is this that has been written: A stone that the builders rejected—this became head of a corner?

FBV But Jesus looked at them and said, “Then why is it written in the Scriptures, ‘The stone the builders rejected has now become the chief cornerstone’?[fn]

20:17 Quoting Psalms 118:22.

TCNT But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is the meaning of this Scripture:
⇔ ‘The stone the builders rejected
⇔ has become the cornerstone’?

T4T But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “You can say that, but think about the meaning of these words that are written {which a prophet wrote} [RHQ] in the Scriptures,
⇔ The men who were building a house rejected a certain stone. But others put that same stone in its proper place, and it has become the most important stone in the building [MET].

LEB But he looked intently at them and[fn] said, “What then is this that is written:
• ‘The stone which the builders rejected,
• this has become the cornerstone .’[fn]

20:17 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“looked intently at”) has been translated as a finite verb

20:17 Literally “the head of the corner”

BBE But he, looking on them, said, Is it not in the Writings, The stone which the builders put on one side, the same has become the chief stone of the building?

Moff But he looked at them and said, "Then what does this scripture mean?--
⇔ The stone that the builders rejected
⇔ is the chief stone now of the corner.

Wymth He looked at them and said, "What then does that mean which is written, "`The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone'?

ASV But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this that is written,
⇔ The stone which the builders rejected,
⇔ The same was made the head of the corner?

DRA But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

YLT and he, having looked upon them, said, 'What, then, is this that hath been written: A stone that the builders rejected — this became head of a corner?

Drby But he looking at them said, What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone?

RV But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner?

SLT And having looked upon them, he said, What then is this written, The stone which the builders disapproved of, this has been for the head of the corner?

Wbstr And 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?

KJB-1769 And 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?

KJB-1611 And hee beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders reiected, the same is become the head of the corner?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And he behelde them, & sayde: What is this then that is written, The stone that the buylders refused, the same is become the head of the corner.
(And he beheld them, and said: What is this then that is written, The stone that the builders refused, the same is become the head of the corner.)

Gnva And he beheld them, and said, What meaneth this then that is written, The stone that the builders refused, that is made the head of the corner?

Cvdl But he behelde the, and sayde: What is this then that is wrytten: The same stone which the buylders refused, is become the head corner stone?
(But he beheld them, and said: What is this then that is written: The same stone which the builders refused, is become the head corner stone?)

TNT And he behelde them and sayde: what meaneth this then that is wrytten: The stone that the bylders refused the same is made the heed corner stone?
(And he beheld them and said: what meaneth this then that is written: The stone that the bylders refused the same is made the head corner stone? )

Wycl But he bihelde hem, and seide, What thanne is this that is writun, The stoon which men bildynge repreueden, this is maad in to the heed of the corner?
(But he beheld hem, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which men buildinge reprovedn, this is made in to the head of the corner?)

Luth Er aber sah sie an und sprach: Was ist denn das, das geschrieben stehet: Der Stein, den die Bauleute verworfen haben, ist zum Eckstein worden?
(He but saw they/she/them at/to and spoke: What is because/than this/that, the written stands: The stone, the the building(n)leute discarded have, is for_the Eckstein been?)

ClVg Ille autem aspiciens eos, ait: Quid est ergo hoc quod scriptum est: Lapidem quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli?[fn]
(He/That_one however looking them, he_said: What it_is therefore this that written it_is: Lapidem which they_rejected buildes, this/here became it_is in/into/on the_head anguli? )

20.17 Quid est, etc. Quomodo implebitur hæc prophetia? Nisi quia Christus a vobis reprobatus, credituris gentibus est prædicandus, ut in se uno angulari lapide duos condat parietes. Ædificantes. Qui supra coloni, hic ædificantes dicuntur, quia qui plebem ad ferendos fructus excolere, hanc ipsi Domino inhabitatore dignam quasi domum constituere jubebantur.

20.17 What it_is, etc. How/In_what_manner will_be_fulfilled these_things prophecy? Unless because Christ/Messiah from to_you(pl) reprobatus, it_is_believedis nations it_is beforedicandus, as in/into/on himself one angulari stone two condat walls. Ædificantes. Who above coloni, this/here buildes are_said, because who/which the_people to almostndos fruit excolere, this themselves Master ininhabitant worthym as_if house/home constituere yubebantur.

UGNT ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν, τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο, λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας?
(ho de emblepsas autois eipen, ti oun estin to gegrammenon touto, lithon hon apedokimasan hoi oikodomountes, houtos egenaʸthaʸ eis kefalaʸn gōnias?)

SBL-GNT ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν· Τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο· Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας;
(ho de emblepsas autois eipen; Ti oun estin to gegrammenon touto; Lithon hon apedokimasan hoi oikodomountes, houtos egenaʸthaʸ eis kefalaʸn gōnias;)

RP-GNT Ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν, Τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο, Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας;
(Ho de emblepsas autois eipen, Ti oun estin to gegrammenon touto, Lithon hon apedokimasan hoi oikodomountes, houtos egenaʸthaʸ eis kefalaʸn gōnias;)

TC-GNT Ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπε, Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο,
⇔ Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες,
⇔ οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας;
(Ho de emblepsas autois eipe, Ti oun esti to gegrammenon touto,
⇔ Lithon hon apedokimasan hoi oikodomountes,
⇔ houtos egenaʸthaʸ eis kefalaʸn gōnias; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 20:9–19: Jesus told a parable about some evil tenant farmers

In 20:1–8 the Jewish religious leaders asked Jesus two questions about his authority. In this section Jesus used a parable to answer those questions in an indirect way. The Jewish leaders showed that they understood this parable by their response in 20:19.

The parable was a story about a man who owned a vineyard. A vineyard is a farm where people grow vines that produce a fruit called “grapes.” Many Jewish people had grape farms. They used the grape juice to make wine, which was important in their culture. They also sold the grapes to make money.

In this story, the owner of the grape farm hired men to farm it for him and to give him a share of the profit. Three times the owner sent servants to the men to collect his share. But the men refused to give the owner his share, and they mistreated each of his servants who came to collect it. When he sent his own son, they killed him. Consider how you would tell a similar story in your language.

Jesus used the people in the parable to represent the Jewish religious leaders and their actions toward God and toward himself, God’s Son. The grape farm represents the people of Israel, and the owner represents God. The grape farmers represent the leaders of Israel. The servants represent the prophets, and the owner’s son represents Jesus.

Examples of headings for this section are:

The Parable of the Tenants (NIV)

A story of evil farmers

A parable about bad renters of a vineyard

Parallel passages for this section are in Matthew 21:33–46 and Mark 12:1–12.

20:17a

But Jesus looked directly at them and said,

Then Jesus looked straight at them and asked this question:
But Jesus looked directly at the people and said,

But: In Greek, this verse begins with the common conjunction that the BSB translates as But. It introduces Jesus’ response to what the people said in 20:16. Other English versions translate this word as “Then.” Versions such as the NIV do not translate this conjunction. Begin 20:17a in a way that is natural in your language.

Jesus looked directly at them: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as Jesus looked directly at them indicates that Jesus looked intently at the people. He did this to emphasize what he was about to say. He wanted them to think seriously about it. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

Jesus looked steadily at them

Jesus looked straight at them (NET)

Some languages have an idiom to express this. For example:

Jesus looked them in the eye

In some languages the meaning of this action may not be clear. The action may imply that Jesus was angry or disrespectful, or that Jesus was not looking at the people before that. If the action implies a wrong meaning like these in your language, you may use a different expression that emphasizes what Jesus was about to say. For example:

Jesus spoke very seriously/directly to them.

You may also need to include a footnote in your translation to give the literal words and explain the meaning. For example:

Literally “having looked directly at them.” Jesus looked seriously at them to emphasize what he was about to say.

and said: The Greek verb that the BSB literally translates as said introduces a rhetorical question. Use a verb that is natural here in your language.

20:17b

“Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

“Then how do you^(plur) understand what is written in the Scriptures, where it says,
“If you^(plur) reject this, then how do you explain what God caused to be written in the Holy Book? It says,
“Then think^(plur) about what this scripture could mean:

Then: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as Then introduces Jesus’ response to what the people said in 20:16c. When they said, “May such a thing never happen!” they implied that they rejected the statement in 20:16a–b. That statement implied that the Jewish leaders would kill God’s Son and that God would punish them and give their role to others. The word Then implies here that if the people rejected that statement, their thoughts would not fit with what is written in the Scriptures.

In some languages it may be necessary to make the connection with 20:16c more explicit. For example:

If you say that this should never happen, then…

Do you reject/deny that this will happen? Then…

If it will not happen, what then…

what is the meaning of that which is written: This is a rhetorical question. It introduces a scripture that agrees with what Jesus said in 20:16a–b. Jesus wanted the people to think seriously about this scripture. He wanted them to realize that the scripture predicts what would happen to him, and those events must happen.

Some ways to translate the introduction to this quote are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
What, then, does this scripture mean? (GNT)
Then what is the meaning of this scripture…? (JBP)
As a command. For example:
Then tell me what the Scripture means when it says:
Then listen to this scripture and think about what it means:
As a statement. For example:
That is the meaning of this statement that is written in God’s Word.
Yet that is the meaning of the figure-of-speech that is in the Holy Book that says:Uma back translation on TW.

Translate the introduction to the quote in a way that is natural in your language.

that which is written: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as that which is written refers to words that God directed someone to write. Such writings have authority because God guided a person to write them. Here the phrase refers specifically to the statement in Psalm 118:22. Other ways to translate the phrase that which is written are:

this statement from God’s written words

This word/message that God caused someone to write

See how you translated the similar phrase in 4:17.

In this context that which is written refers specifically to what is written as a metaphor about Jesus as the Messiah. In some languages it may be necessary to make this meaning more explicit. For example:

what is written about the Messiah

what is written as a proverb/symbol about Christ

20:17c–d

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone: In this context the stone is a metaphor that Jesus applied to himself as the Messiah.In Jesus’ lifetime Jewish leaders recognized certain OT Scriptures about a stone as referring to the Messiah. These Scriptures include Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, and Daniel 2:34. (See Jeremias, lithos TDNT IV, pp. 272–273.) In some languages it is more natural to use a simile. For example:

He is like a stone that builders rejected, but then that stone became the most important stone.

The Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus are like the builders who rejected the stone. Jesus would become like the most important stone in a building, because he is the Messiah, God’s Son.

You may want to include a footnote in your translation to help readers understand the meaning of the quotation in this verse. For example:

Jesus applied this verse to himself. The stone represents him. The builders represent the Jewish leaders. They rejected him, but God exalted him.

20:17c

‘The stone the builders rejected

‘The stone that the builders rejected as useless/worthless
‘God has approved the stone that the builders declared to be worthless for building his/the house.
‘The people who were building a/the house examined a certain stone and said, “This stone is not fit to be used for the building.”

The stone the builders rejected: The builders in this clause were using stones to build a house. They rejected one of the stones as useless. They thought that it was not the type of stone that they wanted to use in building the house.

In Greek the word stone begins the clause because it is the topic of the statement. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of words in the clause. For example:

The builders declared a certain stone to be uselessIn BDAG one definition of apodokimazō (translated as “rejected”) is “to declare useless” (p. 110).

The stone: The Jews used stones to build most of their houses. It was a common building material. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate more explicitly here that the builders were using stones to build with. For example:

As the people were building a house of stones, they rejected a certain stone.

In some areas people do not use stones to build houses. If that is true in your area, you may need to include a footnote about this. For example:

People in Jesus’ country usually used stones to build houses.

It is usually best not to substitute a different building material, because stone is used as a metaphor in other places in the New Testament.See, for example, Acts 4:11, Romans 9:32–33, 1 Peter 2:4–8, and Ephesians 2:20.

builders: The word builders refers in general to people who construct a building. In some languages it is necessary to translate this word as a verb and supply a subject and object. For example:

the people who were constructing the building/house

The scripture implies that the builders were working on a building that belongs to God. In some languages it may be helpful to make that explicit. For example:

The people who were building God’s house

rejected: The Greek word that the BSB translates as rejected means “to examine (something), decide that it is useless, and then reject it.” The builders looked at the stone and decided that it was not useful. They did not want to use it in the building. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

The stone which the builders rejected as worthless (GNT)

A certain stone was examined by the builders, and they decided that it was useless

In some languages it may be natural to express this either as direct speech or indirect speech. For example:

The builders said, “This stone is worthless.”

The builders said/declared that the stone was worthless.

20:17d

has become the cornerstone’?

has become the corner stone of the building’?
He has caused it to become the cornerstone.’
But God made that stone the most important stone in the house.’

has become the cornerstone: The Greek text does not say how the rejected stone became the most important stone in the building. If you must supply this information in your language, you should supply God as the cause.Here are examples from back translations on TW: Kankanaey: “The stone that the builders rejected, that’s what God has turned-into the most-valuable stone which causes-the-house-to-be-strong/firm.” Tagbanwa: “That rock/stone which was not acceptable to the house builders, that’s what was used after all as the main-support of the house.” Yakan: “The stone that is rejected by the experts building the stone house because they thought-mistakenly that it didn’t have any use, now that one is the stone of the greatest/utmost use.” For example:

God has used the stone which the builders rejected as the cornerstone of the house.

God has taken the stone which the builders rejected and made it the most important stone of the house

the cornerstone: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the cornerstone literally means “head of the corner.” There are two ways to interpret this phrase:

It refers to a stone in the corner of the foundation. Here is another way to translate this:
the cornerstone (NLT) (BSB, NLT, KJV, NASB, RSV, REB, NET, GW, NCV, ESV, JBP, NJB)
It refers to a capstone, a stone in the center of an arched door. Another way to translate this is:
the capstone (NIV) (NIV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). However, both interpretations indicate that the stone was very important in the building. In some languages it is good to translate in a general way that makes this meaning clear. For example:

The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-symaction

ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν

he (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν τί Οὖν ἐστίν τό γεγραμμένον τοῦτο Λίθον ὅν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλήν γωνίας)

Jesus looked at the people to hold them accountable for understanding what he was saying. Alternate translation: [But Jesus looked straight at them and said]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο, λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν τί Οὖν ἐστίν τό γεγραμμένον τοῦτο Λίθον ὅν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλήν γωνίας)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [What then does Scripture mean when it says that a stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο, λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας?

Jesus does not expect the people to explain the meaning of the scripture he is quoting. Rather, he is using the question form to get them to consider its implications carefully. Alternate translation: [Think carefully about what this scripture is saying: ‘A stone that the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner’!]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν τί Οὖν ἐστίν τό γεγραμμένον τοῦτο Λίθον ὅν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλήν γωνίας)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this passive verbal form with a noun. Alternate translation: [this scripture]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας

This is a quotation from Psalm 118, and it is a metaphor. It refers to the Messiah as if he were a stone that builders chose not to use. This means that people will reject him. When the psalm says that this stone became the cornerstone, this means that God will nevertheless make the Messiah the ruler of these people. However, since this is a quotation from Scripture, translate the words directly rather than providing a plain explanation of them, even if your language does not customarily use such figures of speech. If you want to explain the meaning of the metaphor, we recommend that you do that in a footnote rather than in the Bible text.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες

The psalm refers implicitly to the way people in this culture used stones to build the walls of houses and other buildings. Alternate translation: [A stone that the builders thought was not good enough to use for building]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

κεφαλὴν γωνίας