2:6
In 2:6, Peter quoted from Isaiah 28:16 in the Old Testament. Isaiah had prophesied about the Christ whom God had promised to send. He had used the metaphor of a “stone” to tell about Jesus Christ long before Peter used this metaphor (2:4).
2:6a
For it stands in Scripture: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces a verse of Scripture that supports what Peter just wrote. You should introduce this Old Testament quote in a way that is natural for you language.
it stands: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it stands is literally “it is contained,” as in the New American Standard Bible. You may also be able to translate this as:
For you will find in scripture: (Revised English Bible)
Isaiah 28:16 quotes God as the speaker. Therefore, you may want to include a reference to God. For example:
It is just as God says in the Scriptures… (Contemporary English Version)
Your language may require you to say who wrote the prophecy and whose words he wrote. For example:
⌊The prophet Isaiah wrote⌋ in the Scriptures ⌊God’s talk/words⌋ that said this ⌊would happen⌋
in Scripture: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Scripture is used in a special way in the New Testament. It refers to words that God directed someone to write. Such writings had authority because God guided a person to write them. In the New Testament the word Scripture almost always refers to something that was written in the Old Testament.
The Scripture from which Peter was quoting is Isaiah 28:16 in the Old Testament. You may translate Scripture with the term you use for the Old Testament. If you have a more specific term for the writings of the Old Testament prophets, you may use it here. Some ways to translate the phrase in Scripture are:
God’s written word
-or-
the message of God that they/someone wrote
2:6b
See: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as See is the first word of Peter’s quotation of Isaiah 28:16. Its purpose is to catch the attention of the reader. Some other ways to translate this word are:
Look (NET Bible)
-or-
Behold (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Listen to this
Some English versions have not translated this Greek word (God’s Word, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation).
I lay…a stone: This is a metaphor. God was speaking as though he were a house builder. He said that he was placing a stone into its correct position in a building. Other ways to say this include:
I am placing/setting a stone in position
-or-
I am putting a stone into place
The Greek verb is a present tense verb. However, because it is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, it may be more natural to translate it as future tense. For example:
I will put a stone in the ground (New Century Version)
a stone: Peter continued with the metaphor of a stone representing Jesus Christ. See 2:4a.
in Zion: Zion is another name for Jerusalem. Sometimes Zion and Jerusalem are used as metaphors to refer to God’s people everywhere, on earth and in heaven. Here Peter used it to refer to the Christian church, believers in Jesus Christ who live on earth or in heaven. Some English versions such as the New Living Translation (2004) translate Zion as:
Jerusalem (New Living Translation (2004))
2:6c
chosen:
The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as chosen is the same as at 2:4b. At 2:4b Peter made it explicit that it was God who chose this stone. Here at 2:6b, God is speaking. If you must make explicit who chose this stone, then here you may be able to say:
chosen ⌊by me⌋
-or-
⌊I⌋ chose ⌊this stone⌋
precious: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as precious is the same as at 2:4b. You will probably want to translate it here the same way as you did at 2:4b. Other ways that the English versions have translated this include:
valuable (Good News Translation)
-or-
priceless (NET Bible)
-or-
of great worth (Revised English Bible)
cornerstone: A cornerstone was a very hard stone that builders carefully shaped to lay at the corner of a foundation. Because the walls would meet at the cornerstone and rest on top of it, the cornerstone was both a pattern and support for the building.
In the metaphor, Peter is speaking about the cornerstone of a “spiritual house” made up of living stones, Christian believers (2:5a). This metaphor represents or illustrates how God appointed Jesus Christ to support and unite the church, the fellowship of all believers. However, you will probably want to retain the metaphor in this quotation, if the grammar of your language allows you to do so naturally.
In some languages there may not be a specific word for a cornerstone. If that is the case in your language, some other ways to translate cornerstone are:
the most important stone
-or-
foundation stone
-or-
rock (New Century Version)
General Comment on 2:6b–c
In your translation of 2:6b–c, it may be more natural in your language to refer only once to the stone. Instead of saying both “stone” and “cornerstone,” several English versions mention just the cornerstone. For example:
I am laying a chosen and precious cornerstone in Zion (God’s Word)
-or-
I am laying in Zion a chosen corner-stone of great worth (Revised English Bible)
2:6d
and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame: Peter chose this quotation from Isaiah 28:16 to encourage his readers to remain faithful to Jesus Christ.
It may be more natural in your language to translate 2:6d as a separate sentence. For example:
Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed. (New Century Version)
the one who believes in Him: The phrase the one who believes in him refers to anyone and everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. Some other ways to translate this include:
Anyone who trusts (New Century Version)
-or-
whoever believes (NET Bible)
-or-
Every person who trusts
believes: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as believes can also be translated as:
trusts (New International Version)
-or-
has faith (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
relies (New Jerusalem Bible)
in Him: There are two ways of interpreting the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in him :
(1) It is masculine. The writer was no longer using a metaphor. He was referring directly to Jesus Christ. For example:
whoever believes in him (Good News Translation)
(Berean Standard Bible God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)
(2) It is neuter. The writer was still using the cornerstone metaphor and was referring to this stone. For example:
who relies on this (New Jerusalem Bible)
(Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)
The Contemporary English Version is ambiguous (“that one”). It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) as most English versions do.
will never be put to shame: There are two ways of interpreting the verb phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will never be put to shame :
(1) The believers will never be ashamed or disgraced for trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior. For example:
will never be ashamed (God’s Word)
(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version, God’s Word)
(2) The believers will never be disappointed. Jesus Christ will show himself worthy of their trust in him. For example:
will never be disappointed (Good News Translation)
(Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) if you can do so naturally in your language. It is good to use a word that is the opposite of “honor.” Believers will receive not shame but honor from God.
never: The two Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as never are two different negative particles/markers. By using them together, Peter said emphatically that his readers would definitely not be ashamed for being Christians.
Another way to state this verse part is:
No one who has faith in him will be disappointed
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