English Standard Version
Matthew 7:13
13"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Matthew 7:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
- New International Version (NIV)“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
Context of Matthew 7:13
11If you then, who are 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! 12"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 15"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Read all of Matthew 7Matthew 7:13 word by word
Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης, ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾽ αὐτῆς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Enter yeεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
- in atδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the straitὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the straitστενόςstenos · narrowG4728
- gateπύληpulē · gateG4439
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- wideπλατύςplatus · streetG4116
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- broadεὐρύχωροςeuruchōros · broadG2149
- the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
- that leadethἀπάγωapagō · to lead awayG520
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- destructionἀπώλειαapōleia · destructionG684
- manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- there beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thereatαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Matthew 7:13
- Matthew 3:2"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
- Matthew 18:2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
- Matthew 23:13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
- Proverbs 9:6Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight."
- Isaiah 55:7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- Ezekiel 18:27Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.
- Luke 9:33And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"—not knowing what he said.
- Luke 13:24"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
- Luke 13:25When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.'
- Luke 14:33So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
- John 10:9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
- John 14:6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- Acts 2:38And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 3:19Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
- 2 Corinthians 6:17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
- Galatians 5:24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Commentaries on Matthew 7:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Enter ye in at the strait gate - Our Savior seems to allude here to the distinction between the public and private ways mentioned by the Jewish lawyers. The public roads were allowed to be sixteen cubits broad, the private ways only four. The words in the original are very emphatic: Enter in (to the kingdom of heaven) through This strait gate, , i.e. of doing to every one as you would he should do unto you; for this alone seems to be the strait gate which…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Enter ye in at the strait gate - Christ here compares the way to life to an entrance through a gate. The words “straight” and “strait” have very different meanings. The former means “not crooked;” the latter, “pent up, narrow, difficult to be entered.” This is the word used here, and it means that the way to heaven is “pent up, narrow, close,” and not obviously entered. The way to death is open, broad, and thronged. The Saviour here referred probably to…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. 13Enter through the narrow gate: This means deciding to obey Jesus as the Messiah. The wide gate and broad road represent the choice not to follow Jesus or his teachings. This path leads to destruction. This means being thrown into fire, being kept out of the kingdom of heaven, being banished from the presence of Jesus, and finally being ruined (Matthew 7:19–23, 27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Enter ye in at the strait gate--as if hardly wide enough to admit one at all. This expresses the difficulty of the first right step in religion, involving, as it does, a triumph over all our natural inclinations. Hence the still stronger expression in Luke (Lu 13:24), "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." for wide is the gate--easily entered. and broad is the way--easily trodden. that leadeth to destruction, and--thus lured "many there be which go…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 7:13
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries