1 Peter 2:8 (ASV)

Passage

and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Nearby Context

1 Peter 2:6 Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

1 Peter 2:7 For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;

1 Peter 2:8 and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God`s] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 2:10 who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "stone", "stumbling", "rock", "offence", "stumble", "word", "disobedient", and "whereunto". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "stone" and "stumbling", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "For you therefore that believe is the..." into verse 9's "But ye are a elect race a...", so "stone" and "stumbling" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "stone" and "stumbling" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.