διὰ τί; ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐξ ⸀ἔργων· ⸀προσέκοψαν τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος,

dia ti; oti ouk ek pisteos all' os ex rergon* rprosekopsan to litho tou proskommatos,

quare quia non ex fide sed quasi ex operibus offenderunt in lapidem offensionis

Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;

Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Why so? Because they sought it not by faith but, as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;

Why? Because it was not from faith, but from the works of The Written Law, for they were stumbled at the stumbling stone,

Wherefore? Because it was not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone,

Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works. For they stumbled at the stumblingstone.

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why? They didn't rely on faith to gain God's approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people.

Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on achievements. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.

Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

And why? Because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith, but from what they regarded as merit. They stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way;

Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

They failed because they refused to believe in Christ. Instead, they were trying to do certain things so that God would accept them. Because of that they fell to the ground. Their feet hit the stone which causes people to fall.

wherefore? because -- not by faith, but as by works of law; for they did stumble at the stone of stumbling,

Why? Because they did not put their trust in God. They tried to be right with God by working for it. They tripped over the most important Stone (Christ).

Why? Because they did not not seek it by faith, but by the works of the Law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone.

And why is that? Because Israel did not follow the path of faith. They thought that whatever they needed to be right with God could be accomplished by doing the works of the law; they tripped over the stumbling stone.

Why not? Because they were trying to be saved by keeping the law and being good instead of by depending on faith. They have stumbled over the great stumbling stone.

Why did this happen? Because they did not pursue it by faith but on the basis of works. They tripped over the stone that causes one to stumble,

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why? Because they followed it not by faith but, as it were, by the works (of the law); therefore, they stumbled on the stumblingstone;

Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

For what reason? Because [they pursued it] not through faith, relying [instead] on the merit of their works [they did not depend on faith but on what they could do]. They have stumbled over the Stumbling Stone.

because they tried to make themselves right by the things they did instead of trusting in God to make them right. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn’t that all right? Either or both happens to Jews, but it also happens to the other people. Hosea put it well: I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out, “You’re nobody!” they’re calling you “God’s living children.” Isaiah maintained this same emphasis: If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered and the sum labeled “chosen of God,” They’d be numbers still, not names; salvation comes by personal selection. God doesn’t count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus. Isaiah had looked ahead and spoken the truth: If our powerful God had not provided us a legacy of living children, We would have ended up like ghost towns, like Sodom and Gomorrah. How can we sum this up? All those people who didn’t seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their “God projects” that they didn’t notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling. Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: Careful! I’ve put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can’t get around. But the stone is me! If you’re looking for me, you’ll find me on the way, not in the way.

Why? Because they kept pursuing it not by faith, but as if it comes by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

Why not? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, ·

Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

And why not? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if it were by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone.

And why not? Because they did not depend on faith but on what they did. And so they stumbled over the “stumbling stone”

Why? For not of faith, but as of works. And they spurned against the stone of offence [Soothly they offended against the stone of offence, or spurning],

Why not? Because they did not pursue it on the basis of faith, but as though it was on the basis of works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

It also means that the people of Israel were not acceptable to God. And why not? It was because they were trying to be acceptable by obeying the Law instead of by having faith in God. The people of Israel fell over the stone that makes people stumble,

Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Now, how far have we got? That the Gentiles who never had the Law’s standard of righteousness to guide them, have attained righteousness, righteousness-by-faith. but Israel, following the Law of righteousness, failed to reach the goal of righteousness. And why? Because their minds were fixed on what they achieved instead of on what they believed. They tripped over that very stone the scripture mentions: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence, and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame’.

Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling-stone,

Why? It’s because they didn’t go for it by faith but they went for it as if it could be reached by doing something. They have tripped over a stumbling block.

And why not? Because it was not by faith [that they pursued it], but as though it were by works [relying on the merit of their works instead of their faith]. They stumbled over the stumbling Stone [Jesus Christ].

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why not? Because they did it not by faith, but as if it could be done by works. They stumbled over the stone that causes stumbling,

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though they could by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

[L Why?] because they tried to make themselves right by ·the things they did [works] instead of ·trusting in God to make them right [L by faith]. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble.

Why? Because they pursued it not by faith, but as if it were from works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling,

Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Why not? Because they tried to do it without faith. They tried to be right with God by what they did. They tripped over the stone that causes people to trip and fall.

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Why? Because they did not pursue righteousness as being grounded in trusting but as if it were grounded in doing legalistic works. They stumbled over the stone that makes people stumble.

That is what the holy writings say, `I put in Zion a stone on which people will hit their feet. It is a rock that will make them fall down. Anyone who believes in him will not be ashamed.'

Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling-stone,

Why so? Because it was not on the mekor (basis) of emunah but on the mekor (basis) of [zechus-earning] ma’asim (works 3:20,28; 4:2,6; 9:11-12). They have stumbled over the EVEN NEGEF ("Stone of Stumbling" Isa 8:14; 28:16),

Why? They didn’t rely on faith to gain God’s approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people.

Why not? Because they did not seek it by faith, but by the works of the law. For they stumbled over the stumbling stone.

They failed because they tried to make themselves right by the things they did. They did not trust in God to make them right. They fell over the stone that makes people fall.

because they tried to make themselves right by the things they did. They did not trust in God to make them right. They fell over the stone that causes people to fall.

Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the stone that causes people to stumble,

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone.’

For what reason? Because they pursued it not by faith, but as-if it was by works. They stumbled on the Stone of stumbling,