King James Version

What Does Luke 20:18 Mean?

Luke 20:18 in the King James Version says “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” — study this verse from Luke chapter 20 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Luke 20:18 · KJV

Context

16

He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid .

17

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?

18

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

20

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder—Jesus extends the stone imagery to describe two forms of encounter with Him, both resulting in destruction, but with different implications. "Fall upon" (πεσὼν, pesōn) suggests stumbling over the stone in the path—those who encounter Jesus and reject Him will be "broken" (συνθλασθήσεται, synthlasthēsetai, shattered). This describes Israel's current stumbling over Messiah (Romans 9:32-33, 1 Peter 2:8).

The second image is more severe: "on whomsoever it shall fall" (ἐφ' ὃν δ' ἂν πέσῃ, eph' hon d' an pesē) describes active judgment—the stone falling on someone. This person will be ground to powder (λικμήσει, likmēsei, pulverized like wheat at threshing, crushed completely). This prophesies eschatological judgment at Christ's return (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45, where the stone crushes the kingdoms). The stone is either stumbling block or crushing judge—there is no neutral encounter with Christ. To reject Him means destruction now (broken) and ultimate destruction later (pulverized).

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Historical & Cultural Context

This imagery combines Psalm 118:22 with Daniel 2:34-35, where the stone cut without hands crushes the kingdoms and becomes a mountain filling the earth. First-century Jews understood these prophecies messianically. Jesus applies them to Himself, warning that rejection brings judgment. The "breaking" occurred in 70 AD when Jerusalem fell. The final "grinding to powder" awaits Christ's return when every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10-11) and enemies become His footstool (Psalm 110:1). Those who reject the cornerstone face the crushing stone.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do the two images (stumbling and crushing) represent both present and future judgment for rejecting Christ?
  2. What does the certainty of destruction either way teach about the urgency of embracing Jesus as cornerstone?
  3. Why is it impossible to encounter Jesus neutrally—why must every person either build on Him or be destroyed by Him?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 15 words
πᾶς1 of 15

“Whosoever”

G3956

all, any, every, the whole

ὁ2 of 15
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

πέσῃ3 of 15

“it shall fall”

G4098

to fall (literally or figuratively)

ἐφ'4 of 15

“on”

G1909

properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re

ἐκεῖνον5 of 15

“that”

G1565

that one (or (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed

τὸν6 of 15
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

λίθον7 of 15

“stone”

G3037

a stone (literally or figuratively)

συνθλασθήσεται·8 of 15

“shall be broken”

G4917

to dash together, i.e., shatter

ἐφ'9 of 15

“on”

G1909

properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re

ὃν10 of 15

“whomsoever”

G3739

the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that

δ'11 of 15

“but”

G1161

but, and, etc

ἂν12 of 15
G302

whatsoever

πέσῃ13 of 15

“it shall fall”

G4098

to fall (literally or figuratively)

λικμήσει14 of 15

“it will grind”

G3039

to winnow, i.e., (by analogy), to triturate

αὐτόν15 of 15

“him”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 20:18 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 20:18 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 8:14-15Zechariah 12:3Daniel 2:44-45Daniel 2:34-35Matthew 21:44Matthew 21:34

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