Matthew 7:13–14
Jesus: the narrow gate leads to life
Study it word by word13“Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it;
14for narrow is the gate and constricted the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
In its context
11If then you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
12So everything that you want people to do to you, so also you do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
…
15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16By their fruits you will recognize them. People do not gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles, do they?
Its words in the original
- ΕἰσέλθατεEiselthate· enter, go in
Enter, go in, come in.
- στενῆςstenēs· narrow
Narrow.
- πύληςpylēs· gate
Gate: a large gate, such as that of a city.
- πλατεῖαplateia· street, square
Wide street, main street, square.
- εὐρύχωροςeurychōros· wide, spacious
Wide, spacious, roomy.
- ὁδὸςhodos· way, road
Way, road; journey; also way of life.
- ἀπάγουσαapagousa· lead away
Lead away, take off to a place.
- ἀπώλειανapōleian· destruction
Ruin, destruction; also waste.
- πολλοίpolloi· much, many
Much, great; in the plural, many.
- εἰσινeisin· be
Be, exist.
- τεθλιμμένηtethlimmenē· press, afflict
Press, crowd; afflict. A "narrow way" is a pressed, hard way.
- ζωήνzōēn· life
Life; the true life that God gives.
- ὀλίγοιoligoi· little, few
Little, small; in the plural, few.
- εὑρίσκοντεςheuriskontes· find
Find; in the passive, turn out to be, be found to be so.