Matthew 7:13

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:
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
• 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, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Matthew 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 3:2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
• Matthew 18:2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
• Matthew 23:13“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
• Proverbs 9:6Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”
• Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
• Ezekiel 18:27But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.
• Luke 9:33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
• Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
• Luke 13:25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
• Luke 14:33In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
• John 10:9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
• John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• Acts 2:38Peter replied, “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, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
• 2 Corinthians 6:17Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
• Galatians 5:24Those 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

• Commandments
• Death
• Gates
• Hell
• Highways
• Religion
• Strait Gate
• Way
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Descend
• Destruction
• Gather
• Judge
• Measure
• Mote
• None
• Profess
• Rock

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