Matthew 7:14

Matthew 7:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
• New International Version (NIV)But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Context of Matthew 7:14

12So do the good things for other people that you would want them to do for you. That is true in everything you do. That is what God's Law and the messages of God's prophets teach us.’ 13‘Go in through the narrow gate to get true life with God. There is a wide gate that is easy to go through. The wide path is easy to travel on. Many people find that wide gate, but it is the way to hell. It is difficult to go through the small gate. And it is difficult to walk on the narrow road. But when you do go that way, you will get true life. Not many people find that narrow gate.’ 15‘Some people say that they are prophets from God. But their words are false. They seem to be like sheep that are not dangerous. But they are really like hungry wild dogs. What they teach will hurt you. 16You will know these people by the way that they live. The things that they do are like their fruit. Grapes do not grow on thorn bushes. Figs do not grow on weeds.

Matthew 7:14 word by word

τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• straitστενόςstenos · narrowG4728
• the gateὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the gateπύληpulē · gateG4439
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• narrowθλίβωthlibō · to press onG2346
• the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• which leadethἀπάγωapagō · to lead awayG520
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
• fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
• there beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• that findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 7:14

• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘A person who wants to come with me must not think about himself. He must decide that his own life is not important. He must be like someone who carries his own cross to go and die. Then he may come with me as my disciple.
• Proverbs 4:26Decide carefully where you are going in life. Then you will be on a good, safe path.
• Proverbs 8:20I walk along the way that is righteous. I follow the path of justice.
• Isaiah 30:21You will hear his voice behind you. When you turn off the path, to the right or to the left, it will say, ‘This is the right way. Walk in it.’
• Isaiah 35:8There will be a great road there. It will be called ‘The Holy Way’. People who are unclean will not travel on it. It will be for those people who know God's way. Evil fools will not walk on it.
• Isaiah 57:14The Lord says, ‘Build a road! Make it ready for my people to travel on! Remove everything that would cause them to fall.’
• Jeremiah 6:16The Lord said to his people, ‘Stand at the place where the roads cross, and look carefully. Ask where the ways of your ancestors are. Find the good way, and go along that way. Then you will live in peace.’ But the people said, ‘No, we will not go that way. ’
• Mark 8:34Then Jesus asked the crowd and his disciples to come to him. He said to them, ‘A person who wants to come with me must not think about himself. He must decide that his own life is not important. He must be like someone who carries his own cross to go and die. Then he may come with me as my disciple.
• John 15:18‘The people who belong to this world may hate you. But remember this: They hated me before they hated you.
• John 16:2People will send you away from their meeting places. There will be a time when people will want to kill you. When they do this, they will even think that they are doing what God wants.
• Acts 14:22In all these towns, they taught the believers to be strong. They said to them, ‘Continue to trust in the Lord Jesus! All believers will have trouble at different times. That will continue to happen in our lives. But one day we will go into the kingdom of God where he rules.’
• Matthew 20:16Jesus then said, ‘So, one day, those people who are not important now will become the most important. Those people who are very important now will become the least important.’
• Matthew 22:14God asks many people to come to him. But he only chooses a few people to be there with him.’
• Matthew 25:1Jesus said, ‘I will tell you another story to show what the kingdom of heaven is like. There were ten young women who were going to a marriage party. They took their lamps with them and they went to meet the man who was marrying a wife.
• Luke 12:32You are only a small group of people, but do not be afraid. Your Father God has given his kingdom to you. He is happy to do that.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Because strait is the gate - Instead of because, I should prefer how, which reading is supported by a great majority of the best MSS., versions, and fathers. How strait is that gate! This mode of expression more forcibly points out the difficulty of the way to the kingdom. How strange is it that men should be unwilling to give up their worldly interests to secure their everlasting salvation! And yet no interest need be abandoned, but that which is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; not only toward God, but toward men; not only toward those of our party and persuasion, but toward men in general, all with whom we have to do. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable. We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Only a few people accept the truth shown in Christ (see Matthew 19:23; 20:16; 22:14; see also John 3:19; 6:66–71).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life--In other words, the whole course is as difficult as the first step; and (so it comes to pass that). few there be that find it--The recommendation of the broad way is the ease with which it is trodden and the abundance of company to be found in it. It is sailing with a fair wind and a favorable tide. The natural inclinations are not crossed, and fears of the issue, if not…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:14

• Commandments
• Hell
• Highways
• Religion
• Righteous
• Strait Gate

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Descend
• Destruction
• Eternal life
• Gather
• Judge
• Measure
• Mote
• None
• Profess

Commentaries on Matthew 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings