Aramaic Kepa, Shua

Aramaic Kepa, Shua

Below are included all the instances where the Aramaic words kepa and shua are found in the Peshitta, along with the Greek word from which they are translated, except for those instances of kepa which indicate Peter's name. First are the examples of kepa, with examples of shua below.

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God is able of these stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) to raise up children to Abraham. Matthew 3:9

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithoi) be made bread. Matthew 4:3

Or what man is there of you, who if his son shall ask bread, will give him a stone? (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) Matthew 7:9

And I say also to thee, That thou art Peter (Aram. kepa; Gr. petros), and upon this rock (Aram. kepa; Gr. petra) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

And whoever shall fall on this stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) shall be broken: but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Matthew 21:44

And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks (Aram. kepa; Gr. petrai) were split; Matthew 27.51

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock (Aram. kepa; Gr. petra): and he rolled a great stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:60
But see Mark 15.46 below where petra/rock is rendered shua.

So they went, and having sealed the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon), made the sepulchre secure, with a watch. Matthew 27:66

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) from the door, and sat upon it. Matthew 28:2

And as he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples saith to him, Master, see what manner of stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithoi) and what buildings are here! Mark 13:1

And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock (Aram. shua; Gr. petras), and rolled a stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) to the door of the sepulchre. Mark 15:46

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll away for us the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) from the door of the sepulchre? Mark 16:3

And when they looked, they saw that the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithos) was rolled away: for it was very great. Mark 16:4

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, That God is able of these stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) to raise up children to Abraham. Luke 3:8

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) or if he shall ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Luke 11:11

And he answered and said to them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithoi) would immediately cry out. Luke 19:40

Whoever shall fall upon that stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Luke 20:18

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithou) cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Luke 22:41

And they found the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) rolled away from the sepulchre. Luke 24:2

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas (Aram. kepa; Gr. kephas), which is by interpretation, A stone (not found in Peshitta; Gr. petros). John 1:42

So when they continued asking him, he raised himself, and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) at her. John 8:7

Then they took up stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithous) to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. John 8:59

Then the Jews took up stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithous) again to stone him. John 10:31

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him, Lord, by this time his body smelleth: for he hath been dead four days. John 11:39

Then they took away the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. John 11:41

This is the stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithos) which was rejected by you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Acts 4:11

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithos) and rock (Aram. kepa; Gr. petran) of offence: and whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:33

Now if any man buildeth upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithous), wood, hay, stubble; 1 Corinthians 3:12

And all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock (Aram. kepa; Gr. petras) that followed them: and that Rock (Aram. kepa; Gr. petra) was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4

To whom coming, as to a living stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon), rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious, 1 Peter 2:4

Ye also, as living stones (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithoi), are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

Therefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon), elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 1 Peter 2:6

And a stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithos) of stumbling, and a rock (Aram. abena; Gr. petra) of offence, even to them who stumble at the word, being disobedient: to this also they were appointed. 1 Peter 2:8

And a mighty angel took up a stone (Aram. kepa; Gr. lithon) like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be no more found. Revelation 18:21

Here are the instances in which I find Aramaic shua in the Peshitta NT, along with the Greek from which they are translated:

Therefore whoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock: (Aram. shua, Gr. petra) Matthew 7:24

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Aram. shua, Gr. petra) Matthew 7:25

Some fell upon the rocky ground (Aram. shua, Gr. petrode [root, petra]), where they had not much earth: and immediately they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: Matthew 13:5

But he that received the seed into the rocky ground (Aram. shua, Gr. petrode [root, petra]), the same is he that heareth the word, and immediately with joy receiveth it; Matthew 13:20

And some fell on rocky ground (Aram. shua, Gr. petrodes [root, petra]), where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: Mark 4:5

And these are they likewise who are sown on rocky ground (Aram. shua, Gr. petrode [root, petra]); who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; Mark 4:16

And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock (Aram. shua, Gr. petras), and rolled a stone (Aram. kepa, Gr. lithos) to the door of the sepulchre. Mark 15.46

He is like a man who built an house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock (Aram. shua, Gr. petran): and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Aram. shua, Gr. petran) Luke 6:48

And some fell upon a rock (Aram. shua, Gr. petran); and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. Luke 8:6

They on the rock (Aram. shua, Gr. petras) are they, who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. Luke 8:13

Then fearing lest we should fall upon rocks (Aram. shua, Gr. traxeis), they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. Acts 27:29

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks (Aram. shua; Gr. petras) of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks (Aram. shua; Gr. petrais), Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: Revelation 6.15-16

Thus, we see that Aramaic kepa is the common translation of Greek lithos, as well as being the translation of petros, which is Peter's name, and generally indicates a smaller, movable rock or stone. Shua is more often the translation of petra, and indicates a rock mass, or bedrock, and is the more likely Aramaic word to indicate the rock upon which Christ is building his Church. Thus, Rome's argument is weak and untenable—surely not of the quality upon which to base one's faith, or the validity of such an office as the papacy.

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