Mat 21:44 And whoever falls on this stone shall be broken: but on whoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Alternative: And whoever falls before this stone shall be crushed together: but upon whom it falls, it will break him to pieces.

I think there is a very serious mistranslation here in the KJV. Also, your understanding this verse again depends on first understanding Matt 21:42 where Christ describes himself as the uneven capstone.

The play on words here uses the various meanings of "to fall" (piptô) and epi, which means "on," and "before." To understand what Christ means, you have to keep in mind his double meaning of "head of the corner" both as the capstone, which holds a wall together, and as the crowning of a leader.

What stone "fall before" the capstone? Those that are placed under it in the wall. Which people "prostrate themselves in front of" the crowning of a ruler? Those who accept his rule. In both cases, the capstone and the crowning of a leader crushes or holds these people together. The leader protects his people like a capstone protects the wall. What happens, however, should the capstone or a leader "fall upon" someone? They are broken to pieces. So the basic contrast here is between those who are crushed together and those who are broken apart.

However, there is even more going on here. Those who are "broken apart" and not just destroyed. They are "winnowed," that is, the wheat is separated from the chaff, so, in a sense, the evil is crushed out of them.


"Shall fall" in both cases is from piptô, which means "to fall," "to fall down," "to be cast down," and "to fall upon." It also means "to descend to a prostrate position," as one does when worshiping.

"On" is from epi , which means "on," "upon," "at," "by," "before," "across," and "against."

"Shall be broken" is from sunthlaô, which means "to crush together."

"Grind to powder" is from likmaô, which means "to winnow" that is, separate chaff from grain by thowing up up in the air. It also is used as a metaphor for "to scatter," "to crush," and "to destroy."