The Apostles ask who can be saved if not the rich.
Luke 18:27 The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Luke 18:27 What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
These impossibilities in the presence of people, are possibilities in the presence of the Divine.
In response to Jesus's statement about the wealthy being difficult to save, the apostles ask how anyone can be saved, specifically meaning "saved from death". In Greek, what we describe as "possibility" is about having certain powers or abilities.
Strangely, things are made possible by the presence of the Divine, but made impossible by the presence of men.
Some miracles only happen out of sight.
The things which(IW) are impossible with men are possible with (MW) God.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "which" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "word" is not shown in the English translation.
What is impossible with man is possible with (MW) God.”
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "word" is not shown in the English translation.
The -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
things - There is no word, "things," in the Greek source, but this word comes from the neuter, plural form of the previous adjective.
which -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
are -- There is no verb "to be" here in the Greek. However, when nouns, pronouns or adjectives appear in the form of a subject without a verb, the verb "to be" can be assumed.
impossible - "Impossible" is from an adjective that means "unable to do a thing," "without power," and "powerless." Of things, it means "impossible," and "unrealizable." It comes from the negative of the word means "having power." A word that is often translated as "can" in the Greek.
with -- The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With an indirect object form, the sense is static, "beside," "by the side of," "near," and "before."
men - The Greek word for "men" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
are -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
possible -- Possible" is from an adjective which means "strong," "mighty," "possible," and "practicable." This is the adjective form of the noun usually translated as "power." Power is what makes things possible.
with -- The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With an indirect object form, the sense is static, "beside," "by the side of," "near," and "before."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." When used by Jesus and in the Septuagint to mean "God, it is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." The definite article identifies it as specific. When a definite article does not introduce it, it refers more generally to "divinity," the nature of God.
What-- The Greek word translated as "what" in the singular means "anyone," "someone," "something," and "anything." The same forms are used both for the masculine and feminine, so "anyone" works best for a person. In the plural, it means "everyone," "some," "they," and "those." Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who," "what," "which," or even "why."
is -- There is no verb "to be" here in the Greek. However, when nouns, pronouns or adjectives appear in the form of a subject without a verb, the verb "to be" can be assumed.
impossible - "Impossible" is from an adjective that means "unable to do a thing," "without power," and "powerless." Of things, it means "impossible," and "unrealizable." It comes from the negative of the word means "having power." A word that is often translated as "can" in the Greek.
with -- The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With an indirect object form, the sense is static, "beside," "by the side of," "near," and "before."
men - The Greek word for "men" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
possible -- Possible" is from an adjective which means "strong," "mighty," "possible," and "practicable." This is the adjective form of the noun usually translated as "power." Power is what makes things possible.
with -- The Greek preposition translated as "with" has many meanings, many of which depend on the case of its object. With an indirect object form, the sense is static, "beside," "by the side of," "near," and "before."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." When used by Jesus and in the Septuagint to mean "God, it is introduced with an article, so "the God," "the Divine" or "the divine one." The definite article identifies it as specific. When a definite article does not introduce it, it refers more generally to "divinity," the nature of God.
Τὰ [821 verses](article pl neut nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ἀδύνατα [3 verses] ( adj pl neut nom) "The things which...impossible "is adynatos, which means "unable to do a thing," "without power," "powerless," "without strength," "without skill," "(of things) impossible," and "unrealizable." As an adverb, "weakly," and "feebly."
παρὰ [45 verses](prep) "With" is para, has many meanings, which depend on the case of its object and the sense of the verb. With the genitive, the sense is always motion, "from the side of," "from beside," "issuing from", and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is always static, "by the side of," "near," "in the presence of," and "before." With the accusative, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more including "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)." With a possessive form, the sense is motion, "from the side of," "from beside," and generally "from." With the direct object, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more.
ἀνθρώποις [209 verses] (noun pl masc dat) "Men" is anthropos, which is "man," and, in plural, "mankind." It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate. Used as a form of address, it is a bit contemptuous, "sir."
δυνατὰ ” [9 verses](adj pl neut nom) "Possible" is from dynatos, which means "strong," "mighty," "possible," and "practicable."
παρὰ [45 verses](prep) "With" is para, has many meanings, which depend on the case of its object and the sense of the verb. With the genitive, the sense is always motion, "from the side of," "from beside," "issuing from", and generally "from." With the dative, the sense is always static, "by the side of," "near," "in the presence of," and "before." With the accusative, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more including "along", "past", "beyond", "parallel (geometry)", "precisely at the moment of (time)," and "throughout (time)." With a possessive form, the sense is motion, "from the side of," "from beside," and generally "from." With an indirect object form, the sense is static, "beside," "by the side of," "near," and "before." With the direct object, its has a number of specialized meanings depending on the character of the verb, with coming/going "near," "beside," with placing "side-by-side," as a metaphor, "like" or "as a parody of, of comparison, "compared with" and many more.
τῷ [821 verses](article sg masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." --
θεῷ [144 verses] (noun sg masc dat) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
ἐστίν [614 verses] (3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed. "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it." With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are."
A shorter, pithier version of Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27. The KJV makes it less pithy and more like the other versions. All use the same basic vocabulary, except that Matthew and Mark both reference "all" in relation to divine power.