Matthew 7:13 Enter in at the narrow gate:

Spoken to: 

audience

Sermon on Mount, law and fulfillment, visible and hidden, openings and limits

KJV: 

Matthew 7:13 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:

NIV : 

Matthew 7:13  Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Enter by the narrow gate since wide and open the way, the one leading into that destruction, and many are the ones entering by it.

MY TAKE: 

There are more ways to do things wrong than doing them right.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς  στενῆς  πύλης: ὅτι         πλατεῖα καὶ  εὐρύχωρος    ὁδὸς
Enter        by  the narrow gate     because wide    and open          the way,

           ἀπάγουσα εἰς   τὴν ἀπώλειαν,      καὶ  πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ           εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾽ αὐτῆς:
the one leading    into that destruction, and many  are   the ones entering       by it.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

This verse contains six Greek words that are uncommon for Jesus. Two of them he only used here. One he only uses twice. The other three he only uses three times. However, these words are much more common in the Greek OT. Some, like the word (mis)translated as "destruction," are very common.

Many of the words in this verse have an economic double-meaning, especially in the context of the last verse about "producing so much."  The "many" here is the crowd of those producing. The word translated as "at/through" also means "by the means of." The "way," is a "way" of producing"  Since these common ways of producing are widespread, following them leads to "destruction" which means "financial ruin." The word translated as "leadeth/leads" also means "to pay a debt."

 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

12
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "at" should be something more like "through" or "by."
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "is the gate" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • MM -- Many Meanings -- This word "way" means both "path" and a "way" of thinking, a philosophy.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "lead" is not an active verb but a participle, "leading."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "destruction" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "destruction" should be something more like "desolation" or "terror."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "there" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "which" should be something more like "the ones."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "go" should be something more like "enter."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "go" is not an active verb but a participle, "entering."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "through" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "thereat" should be something more like "it."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

8
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "is the gate" doesn't exist in the source.
  • MM -- Many Meanings -- This word "road" means both "path" and a "way" of thinking, a philosophy.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "lead" is not an active verb but a participle, "leading."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "destruction" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "destruction" should be something more like "financial ruin" or "desolation."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "are" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the ones" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "entering" is not an active verb but a participle, "entering."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Enter  - The term translated as "enter ye in" means "to come or go into" and it is a metaphor for an idea entering into the mind. It also means entering into a new state especially, coming into existence, like coming to life or coming to public attention. So we "enter into" the public interactions of producing for others so they can produce for us. This is in the form of a command or request.

ye  - -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

in -- This is from the prefix that means "into"of the previous verb.

at  - (WW) The word translated as "at" means "through" as in movement through, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method. There are a number of Greek prepositions that can be translated as "at," but this isn't one of them.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

strait  - The term translated as "strait" primarily means "narrow," but it is not a positive term in Greek having many negative associations including "small-minded" and "confined."

gate:  - The term translated here as "gate" means specifically one side of a double gate that served as the entry to a town or large building. It was also frequently the location of a toll booth, changing a tax for entry into a town. The term also meant special doors or gates such as those to the women's quarters or the gates of hell. These gates were a point of control and authority.

for  - The Greek word translated as "for" acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

wide  - The word translated as "wide" also means "widespread" and "loud and rude" among many other things, which makes it a little less redundant with the following "broad." This word is used only once by Jesus but it is used fifty times in the Greek OT. In Isa 33:21 it is used with the word below translated as "broad."

is the gate, -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "is the gate" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.

and  -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

broad  - The word translated as "broad" means "roomy" and "wide." This word is used only once by Jesus but it is used fifty times in the Greek OT. In Isa 33:21 it is used with the word above translated as "wide."

is -- There is no verb "is" in the Greek source. It is implied by the equating of "workman" with "worthy" both in the Greek form of subjects.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

way,  - (MM) The term translated as "way" means a "route" or a "path," but also a "manner of behavior" or a "method" or "philosophy." The sense is the same as we use the term in "a way of life" or "a way of thinking."

that  - The word translated as "that" is assumed to be a demonstrative pronoun, but it is much more likely to be the article "the" with the following verb acting as an adjective, so it takes the meaning of "the one."

leadeth  - (WF) The Greek translated as "Leadeth" means "to lead." "to carry away," "to pay" and "to render a service." It is an uncommon word for Jesus to use. It is in the form of an adjective, "leading," but with the article above, it acts like a noun, "the one leading," "the one paying," or "the one rendering a service."

to  - -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

destruction,  - (WW) The term used for "destruction" also means a "loss" and is often used to describe the destruction of sea vessels in the same sense we would use "wrecked." It has a secondary economic meaning of "financial ruin." Elsewhere in the NT it is translated as "waste." This word is only used twice by Jesus, but it appears seventy-four times in Greek OT. It is translated many different ways in the OT, mostly as "terror" and "desolate" and it usually appears with the same "into" preposition here, but without the article. It is not translated as "destruction," which is another concept in Greek.

and  -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

many  - The word translated as "many" means "many in number" or "great is size."

there -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "there" in the Greek source.

be  - The verb "be" 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.

which --  (WW) The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, which when not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

go - (WW, WF) The Greek word translated as "which go" is the same word that started this verse, the verb translated as "enter." This verse is It is in the form of an adjective, used as a plural noun, "the ones going" or "the ones getting."

in  -- This is from the prefix that means "into"of the previous verb.

missing "through"-- (MW) The untranslated word "through"  means in movement through, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.The Greek word translated as "in" means "through," "among," and "between." It is the same word translated as "at" near the beginning of the verse.

thereat:  - (WW) The Greek word translated as "thereat" is the adjective usually translated as "it." The gender could refer to the "gate" or the "way," but the most proximate noun that it matches is "destruction." But the context, "entering" leads us to "gate."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Enter  - The term translated as "enter ye in" means "to come or go into" and it is a metaphor for an idea entering into the mind. It also means entering into a new state especially, coming into existence, like coming to life or coming to public attention. So we "enter into" the public interactions of producing for others so they can produce for us. This is in the form of a command or request.

through - The word translated as "through" means "through" as in movement through, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method. There are a number of Greek prepositions that can be translated as "at," but this isn't one of them.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.

narrow  - The term translated as "narrow" primarily means "narrow," but it is not a positive term in Greek having many negative associations including "small-minded" and "confined."

gate:  - The term translated here as "gate" means specifically one side of a double gate that served as the entry to a town or large building. It was also frequently the location of a toll booth, changing a tax for entry into a town. The term also meant special doors or gates such as those to the women's quarters or the gates of hell. These gates were a point of control and authority.

For  - The Greek word translated as "for" acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

wide  - The word translated as "wide" also means "widespread" and "loud and rude" among many other things, which makes it a little less redundant with the following "broad." This word is used only once by Jesus but it is used fifty times in the Greek OT. In Isa 33:21 it is used with the word below translated as "broad."

is the gate, -- (IP) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "is the gate" in the source we use today. This was in the KJV source, but not the one used by the NIV.

and  -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

broad  - The word translated as "broad" means "roomy" and "wide." This word is used only once by Jesus but it is used fifty times in the Greek OT. In Isa 33:21 it is used with the word above translated as "wide."

is -- There is no verb "is" in the Greek source. It is implied by the equating of "workman" with "worthy" both in the Greek form of subjects.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

road,  - (MM) The term translated as "way" means a "route" or a "path," but also a "manner of behavior" or a "method" or "philosophy." The sense is the same as we use the term in "a way of life" or "a way of thinking."

that  - The word translated as "that" is assumed to be a demonstrative pronoun, but it is much more likely to be the article "the" with the following verb acting as an adjective, so it takes the meaning of "the one."

leads  - (WF) The Greek translated as "Leads" means "to lead." "to carry away," "to pay" and "to render a service." It is an uncommon word for Jesus to use. It is in the form of an adjective, "leading," but with the article above, it acts like a noun, "the one leading," "the one paying," or "the one rendering a service."

to  - -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

destruction,  - (WW) The term used for "destruction" also means a "loss" and is often used to describe the destruction of sea vessels in the same sense we would use "wrecked." It has a secondary economic meaning of "financial ruin." Elsewhere in the NT it is translated as "waste." This word is only used twice by Jesus, but it appears seventy-four times in Greek OT. It is translated many different ways in the OT, mostly as "terror" and "desolate," but it is not normally translated as "destruction."

and  - -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

many  - The word translated as "many" means "many in number" or "great is size."

missing "are"-- (MW) The untranslated word "are" 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.

missing "the ones"-- (MW) The untranslated word "the one" is the Greek definite article, which when not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.

enter - (WF) The Greek word translated as "which go" is the same word that started this verse, the verb translated as "enter." This verse is It is in the form of an adjective, used as a plural noun, "the ones going" or "the ones getting."

through -- The word "through"  means in movement through, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.The Greek word translated as "in" means "through," "among," and "between."

it.  - The Greek word translated as "thereat" is the adjective usually translated as "it." The gender could refer to the "gate" or the "way," but the most proximate noun that it matches is "destruction." But the context, "entering" leads us to "gate."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Εἰσέλθατε (2nd pl pres imperat act) "Enter ye" is from eiserchomai which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge (as in court)," and "to come into one's mind."

διὰ (prep) "At" is from dia which means "through," "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "among," and "between."

τῆς (article sg fem gen)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

στενῆς [3 verses](adj sg fem gen) "Strait" is stenos, which means "narrow," "narrows," "straits," "close," "confined," "scanty," "petty," "small-minded," "narrow-minded," "thin or meagre [of sound and style]," and, as an adverb "[to be] in difficulties."

πύλης: [4 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Gate" is pyle, which means "one wing of a pair of double gates," "gates of a town," "house-door," "gate or door leading to the women's apartments," "gates of the nether world," "custom-house," "entrance," "orifice," "entrance into a country through mountains," "pass," and "narrow straits."

ὅτι (adv/conj) "For" is from hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

πλατεῖα [1 verse](adj sg fem nom) "Wide" is platus, which means "wide," "broad," "flat," "level," "large or spread over a wide space," "broad-shouldered [of a man]," "broad strong [of an oath]," "loud and rude [laughter]," "loosely [adverb]," "widespread," "frequent," and, as a noun, "a broad stripe or border," and "flat of the hand."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

εὐρύχωρος [1 verse](adj sg fem nom ) "Broad" is eurychoros, which means "roomy," "wide," and, as a noun, "wide spaces."

(article sg fem nom )  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

ὁδὸς (noun sg fem nom ) "Way" is from hodos, which means literally "the way" or "the road" but it also means "travel" and "journey." It is used to mean "a way of doing things," "a method," or "a philosophy of life."

(pron sg fem nom) "That" is from hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings. OR (article sg fem nom) "That" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

ἀπάγουσα [3 verses](part sg pres act fem nom) "Leadeth" is apago, which means to "lead away," "carry off," "hold far off," "draw off," "retire," "withdraw," "abduct," "bring back," "bring home," "return," "render what one owes," "pay," "render service," and "arrest and carry off."

εἰς (prep) "To" is from eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."

τὴν (article sg fem acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").

ἀπώλειαν, [2 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Destruction" is apoleia, which means "destruction," and "loss," and "thing lost."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

πολλοί (adj pl masc nom ) "Many" is from polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long."

εἰσιν (3rd pl pres ind act) "There be" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible."

οἱ (article pl masc nom))  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which, when not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

εἰσερχόμενοι (part pl pres mp masc nom) "Which go in" is from eiserchomai which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge (as in court)," and "to come into one's mind."

δι᾽(prep) "In" is from dia which means "through," "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "among," and "between."

αὐτῆς: (adj sg fem gen) "Thereat" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."

Wordplay: 

The play on two meanings of "way" both a path and a method and a philosophy.

Related Verses: 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

“We are the gatekeepers for the broad masses of our people,”  creaked old Parosh to the crowd. “Our followers are everywhere. Our way is easy. Our gate is open wide.
“Little people come to laugh at your little jokes,” squeaked Baram. “Your world is narrow. Your perspective limited. Your ideas childish!”
The Master considered their accusations in silence for a moment. Then he broke again into a smile and addressed the crowd in a high falsetto. At first, it sounded like he was mimicking Baram, but voice was more like that of a child.
“Enter, all of you,” he asked us in this piping voice, “through this tight gate.”
He demonstrated his point by putting his hands close together and pretending that he was trying to squeeze through the narrow opening between them. He made a show of sucking in his stomach and that drew more laughter.
“You are being a child!” accused the piping Baram.
“Why would anyone leave the easy path?” asked Simeon with disgust.
The Master smiled innocently.
“Because wide and broad is that path,” he answered easily in childlike tones, speaking to us all, “the one leading into this mess.”
We laughed.
“And many,” he pipe innocently while indicating the Distinguished, “are those entering through it.”
We laughed harder.

Front Page Date: 

Jul 8 2020