For [this] is containedin Scripture:"BEHOLD,I LAYIN ZIONA CHOICESTONE,A PRECIOUSCORNER[stone], AND HE WHO BELIEVESIN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
But his bowremainedfirm,And his armswere agile,From the handsof the MightyOneof Jacob(From thereis the Shepherd,the Stoneof Israel),
Let those be ashamedand humiliatedtogetherWho seekmy lifeto destroyit; Let those be turnedbackand dishonoredWhodelightin my hurt.
OnceYou spokein visionto Your godlyones,And said,"I have givenhelpto one whois mighty;I have exaltedone chosenfrom the people.
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I am layingin Ziona stone,a testedstone,A costlycornerstone[for] the foundation,firmlyplaced.He who believes[in it] will not be disturbed.
"Behold,allthose who are angeredat you will be shamedand dishonored;Thosewhocontendwith you will be as nothingand will perish.
"Behold,My Servant,whom I uphold;My chosenone [in whom] My souldelights.I have putMy Spiritupon Him; He will bringforthjusticeto the nations.
"I bringnearMy righteousness,it is not faroff; And My salvationwill not delay.And I will grantsalvationin Zion,[And] My gloryfor Israel.
For the LordGODhelpsMe, Therefore,I am not disgraced;Therefore,I have setMy facelike flint,And I knowthat I will not be ashamed.
"Fearnot, for you will not be putto shame;And do not feelhumiliated,for you will not be disgraced;But you will forgetthe shameof your youth,And the reproachof your widowhoodyou will remembernomore.
"However,I will tellyou what is inscribedin the writingof truth.Yet thereis noonewho standsfirmlywith me againstthese[forces] exceptMichaelyour prince.
"From them will comethe cornerstone,From them the tentpeg,From them the bowof battle,From them everyruler,[all] of them together.
"BEHOLD,MY SERVANTWHOMI HAVE CHOSEN;MY BELOVEDIN WHOMMY SOULis WELL-PLEASED;I WILL PUTMY SPIRITUPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIMJUSTICETO THE GENTILES.
"Have you not evenreadthisScripture:THE STONEWHICHTHE BUILDERSREJECTED,THISBECAMETHE CHIEFCORNER[stone];
But Jesus lookedat them and said,"Whatthenis thisthat is written:THE STONEWHICHTHE BUILDERSREJECTED,THISBECAMETHE CHIEFCORNER[stone]'?
And the peoplestoodby, lookingon. And eventhe rulerswere sneeringat Him, saying,"He savedothers;let Him saveHimselfifthisis the Christof God,His Chosen One."
"He who believesin Me, as the Scripturesaid,From his innermost beingwill flowriversof livingwater.'"
"Brethren,the Scripturehadto be fulfilled,whichthe HolySpiritforetoldby the mouthof DavidconcerningJudas,who becamea guideto thosewho arrestedJesus.
For the Scripturesays,"WHOEVERBELIEVESIN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
justas He choseus in Him beforethe foundationof the world,that we would be holyand blamelessbeforeHim. In love
having been builton the foundationof the apostlesand prophets,ChristJesusHimselfbeingthe corner[stone],
AllScriptureis inspired by Godand profitablefor teaching,for reproof,for correction,for trainingin righteousness;
And comingto Him as to a livingstonewhich has been rejectedby men,but is choiceand preciousin the sightof God,
and, "A STONEOF STUMBLINGAND A ROCKOF OFFENSE";for they stumblebecause they are disobedientto the word,and to this[doom] they were alsoappointed.
But knowthisfirstof all, that noprophecyof Scriptureis [a matter] of one's owninterpretation,
as alsoin all[his] letters,speakingin them of these things,in whichare some thingshard to understand,whichthe untaughtand unstabledistort,as [they do] alsothe restof the Scriptures,to their owndestruction.
