两者的区别主要在于：

stipulation 的严格意义本应为“约定”，指当事人经协商达成的约定性规定，故一般都用作指合同、条约、协议或契约中的规定而非法律法规等中非约定性的规定（或为“约定”）(a material condition or requirement in an agreement，esp.，a factual representation that is incorporated into contract as a term （Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1427，West Group (1999)），如：breach of the stipulation of the contract (违反合同规定）如将其用于法律中，如：the stipulations of the Environment Act，则应属于一种错误用法。鉴于它只指契约的而不指法律的规定，因此陈忠诚先生主张将其译为“（以契）约(规)定”

如：

The stipulation of preemption right should not completely protect lessees and should also protect disposition right and usufruct of owners. 

优先购买权的约定不应一味保护承租人，也应保障所有权人的处分权和收益权。

相比之下，provision的适用范畴则较广，其既可指合同或契约中属于约定性条款规定的又可指法律或法规中属于强制性的条款规定。“Provision: a stipulation (as a clause in a statute or contract) made beforehand”，Cf. Linda Pacard Wood, Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 394, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (1996). “in a legal document，a clause. ”Cf. Daphne A. Dukelow, The Dictionary of Canadian Law，at p. 845，A Carswell Publication (1991).

如：

No one may invoke the provisions of this Convention in order to infringe human rights and fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or guaranteed by international law, or to limit the scope thereof. 

任何人都不得援引本公约的规定侵犯《世界人权宣言 》规定的或受到国际法保障的人权和基本自由或限制其适用范围。 

The Company’s bye-laws deviate from Code Provision A.4.2 as it provides that one-third of the directors for the time being (save for the Chairman or Managing Director), or if their number is not three nor three nor a multiple of three, then the number nearest to one-third, shall retire from office and being eligible, offer themselves for re-election at the annual general meetings and that any new director appointed by the Board during the [...] year shall hold office until the next following annual general meeting after appointment, and he/ she shall be eligible for re-election. 

本公司之细则偏离守则条文A.4.2条，该细则规定于股东周年大会上，当时在任之三分一（或若董事总数并非三或三之倍数，则为最接近三分一之数）之董事（主席及董事总经理除外）应退任，并可符合资格于会上膺选连 任，而任何于年内获董事会委任之董事须于接受委任后之下届股东周年大会上退任，并可符合资格于会上膺选连任。