The Wooden Pole
and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the stake."
The Greek stauros is rendered "stake," as the Pioneer Translation consistently does, reflecting the primary classical meaning of an upright pale or stake rather than the traditional "cross." The conditional "if you are the Son of God" (ei huios ei tou theou) is translated at face value without softening — the mockers are challenging his identity. The verb katabaino means to come down or descend, rendered plainly as "come down."
Berean Standard Bible
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40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford.!”
King James Version
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40And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford..
Goodspeed New Testament
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40and saying, “You who would tear down the sanctuary, and build one in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
Translation for Translators
T4T was designed as a tool for Bible translators, not as a devotional text. It makes implicit meaning explicit and flags figurative language with abbreviations. Gold [brackets] indicate translation notes. ◄Triangles► mark alternative renderings.Read more about how to read T4T →BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
40They said, “You said you would destroy the Temple, and then you would build it again within three days! So if you could do that, you should be able to save yourself! If you are the man who is also God (OR, If you are the Son of God), come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford.!”
Berean Standard Bible
Goodspeed New Testament
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford.!”
and saying, “You who would tear down the sanctuary, and build one in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
Berean Standard Bible
Goodspeed New Testament
King James Version
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford.!”
and saying, “You who would tear down the sanctuary, and build one in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the σταυρός · staurosPrimary classical Greek meaning: upright stake or pole. Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon, Oxford..
SBL
40
καὶ and καί kaí apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too λέγοντες say λέγω légō a primary verb; properly, to lay forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; wh · Ὁ the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, καταλύων break up καταλύω katalýō from G2596 (κατά) and G3089 (λύω); to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. (by implication) to demolish (literally or figura τὸν the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, ναὸν temple ναός naós from a primary (to dwell); a fane, shrine, temple shrine, temple καὶ and καί kaí apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too ἐν in ἐν en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (mediall τρισὶν three τρεῖς treîs a primary (plural) number; three three ἡμέραις day ἡμέρα hēméra feminine (with G5610 (ὥρα) implied) of a derivative of (to sit; akin to the base of G1476 (ἑδραῖος)) meaning tame, i.e. οἰκοδομῶν build οἰκοδομέω oikodoméō from the same as G3619 (οἰκοδομή); to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or (figuratively) confirm (be in) build(-er, -i , σῶσον save σώζω sṓzō from a primary (contraction for obsolete , safe); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively) heal, pre σεαυτόν of yourself σεαυτοῦ seautoû genitive case from G4571 (σέ) and G846 (αὐτός), also dative case of the same, , and accusative case , likewise contracte · εἰ if εἰ ei a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether υἱὸς son υἱός huiós apparently a primary word; a son (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship εἶ if εἰ ei a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether τοῦ the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, θεοῦ God θεός theós a deity, especially (with G3588 (ὁ)) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very X exceeding, Go , ⸀ κατάβηθι come down καταβαίνω katabaínō from G2596 (κατά) and the base of G939 (βάσις); to descend (literally or figuratively) come (get, go, step) down, fall ( ἀπὸ from ἀπό apó a primary particle; off, i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or fig τοῦ the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, σταυροῦ stauros (stake) σταυρός staurós from the base of G2476 (ἵστημι); a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specially), a pole or stauros (stake) (as an instrument o .
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the stauros (stake)!”
Where the New Testament uses stauros, this site shows the Greek word alongside its primary classical meaning in brackets. Stauros meant stake or upright stake in classical Greek — the Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon (Oxford University Press) lists this as its first definition, citing Homer and Herodotus. The word itself does not specify material; wood is implied by the context of the era, not encoded in the Greek term.
Where the New Testament uses xylon, this site shows the Greek word alongside its meaning of tree or wood — xylon does specify material, and is already translated as tree by the NIV, ESV, and KJV in Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, and 1 Peter 2:24.
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Sources
SBL Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)License
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
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