Acts 4:11
in Acts 4This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.
KJV
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
⋯
This verse in Acts 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseThis is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. The builders were the Jews, who, while all the nations were dwelling in the desolation of idols, they alone were reading the law and the prophets daily for edification. …
This site's exposition
This Jesus is
Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 to the very builders the psalm names, calling Jesus the stone they rejected which has become the cornerstone. Jesus had applied the verse to Himself before the same authorities in the parable of the tenants at Matthew 21:42.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
That Christ also is called a Stone. In Isaiah: "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I place on the foundations of Sion a precious stone, elect, chief, a corner stone, honourable; and he who trusteth in Him shall not be confounded." Also in the cxviith Psalm: "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is done by the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day, which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save therefore, O Lord, direct therefore.
"This is the stone," he says, "which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner." He reminds them also of a saying which was enough to frighten them. For it had been said, "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
"This," says he, "is the Stone which was set at naught by you builders;" and then he goes on to teach them, saying in addition, "Which is made the head of the corner"; that is to say, that the Stone is indeed approved! Great was the boldness they now had, in consequence of the miracle.
And the phrase, "This is the stone," does not refer to the lame man, but to Jesus Christ, in whose name the lame man was healed. This stone, though rejected by you who were appointed for the building, has become for the house the chief …
But when he had urged them with these words, he also adds what is from Scripture, saying "the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner," (Ps. 118:22) and whatever formerly on this matter was treated by us.
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Such is — that is, thoroughly tested — that stone which became the head of these two peoples, united through it into one building of the Church: the believing Jewish people and all the believing Gentiles.
The Reformation1 voice
The stone means Christ Himself; the builders are the teachers of the Jews who rejected Him as if He were useless. But when He rose from the dead, He was set in place as the head of the corner, that is, He became the head …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Scripture is a tried weapon in our spiritual conflicts: let us therefore stick to it. [2.] We are obliged to it for our own interest. We are undone if we do not take shelter in this name, and make it our refuge and strong tower; for we cannot be saved but by Jesus Christ, and, if we be not eternally saved, we are eternally undone (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
This is the stone,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This is the stone - This passage is found in Psa 118:22. It is quoted, also, by our Saviour as applicable to himself. See the notes on Mat 21:42. The ancient Jews applied this to David. In the Targum on Psa 118:22, this passage is rendered, “The child who was among the sons of Jesse, and was worthy to be constituted king, the builders rejected.” The New Testament writers, however, apply it without any doubt to the Messiah. Compare Isa 28:16; Rom 9:33; Eph 2:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the captain--of the Levitical guard. of the temple--annoyed at the disturbance created around it. and the Sadducees--who "say that there is no resurrection" (Ac 23:8), irritated at the apostles "preaching through (rather, 'in') Jesus the resurrection from the dead"; for the resurrection of Christ, if a fact, effectually overthrew the Sadducean doctrine.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, &c.--This application of Ps 118:22, already made by our Lord Himself before some of the same "builders" (Mt 21:42), is here repeated with peculiar propriety after the deed of rejection had been consummated, and the rejected One had, by His exaltation to the right hand of the Majesty on high, become "the head of the corner."
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders - By your rejection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, you have fulfilled one of your own prophecies, Psa 118:22; and, as one part of this prophecy is now so literally fulfilled, ye may rest assured, so shall the other; and this rejected stone shall speedily become the head stone of the corner. See the note on Mat 21:42.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὗτός | houtos | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λίθος | lithos | stone | G3037 → | |
| ὁ | ho | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐξουθενηθεὶς | exouthenetheis | having been rejected | G1848 → | |
| ὑφ᾽ | huph᾽ | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκοδόμων, | oikodomon | builders, | ||
| ὁ | ho | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γενόμενος | genomenos | has become | G1096 → | 667 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| κεφαλὴν | kephalen | head | G2776 → | 75 times |
| γωνίας. | gonias | of [the] corner.’ | G1137 → |
οὗτόςThis
houtosG3778 →1381 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λίθοςstone
lithosG3037 →
ὁwhich
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἐξουθενηθεὶςhaving been rejected
exouthenetheisG1848 →
ὑφ᾽by
huph᾽G5259 →219 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
οἰκοδόμων,builders,
oikodomon
ὁwhich
hoG3588 →19766 times
γενόμενοςhas become
genomenosG1096 →667 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
κεφαλὴνhead
kephalenG2776 →75 times
γωνίας.of [the] corner.’
goniasG1137 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 28:16So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
it leads to
- Psalms 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- Acts 4:11–12
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
- 1 Peter 2:6–8
For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Luke 20:17–18
But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
- Romans 9:33
as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Psalms 118:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews; Erasmus of Rotterdam, Commentary (church-history corpus); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 10; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.