Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Matthew 7:14

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

KJV

ὅτι στενὴ [ἡ πύλη] καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.

Greek NT

Quam angusta porta, et arcta via est, quæ ducit ad vitam : et pauci sunt qui inveniunt eam !

Vulgate

For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

ASV

How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

14 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
εἰς
eis
preposition · 1769×
εὑρίσκω
eurisko
verb · 175×
ζωή
zoe
noun · 135×
θλίβω
thlibo
verb · 10×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
πύλη
pule
noun · 10×
στενός
stenos
adjective · 3×
ἀπάγω
apago
verb · 15×
ὀλίγος
oligos
adjective · 41×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὁδός
odos
noun · 101×
ὅτι
oti
conjunction · 1299×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: ὅτι | WH: ὅτι | NIV: ὅτι δὲ | Treg/NA/RP: τί
  • ὅτι — SBLGNT
  • ὅτι — Westcott-Hort
  • ὅτι δὲ — Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • τί — Tregelles, Nestle-Aland 27, Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Historic Christian voices

14 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1036The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. They are at the same time an urgent call to conversion: "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…
§1970The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between "the two ways" and to put into practice the words of the Lord.26 It is summed up in the Golden Rule, "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets."27 The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the "new commandment" of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved…
§2609Once committed to conversion, the heart learns to pray in faith. Faith is a filial adherence to God beyond what we feel and understand. It is possible because the beloved Son gives us access to the Father. He can ask us to "seek" and to "knock," since he himself is the door and the way.65
1. There are two kinds of consolation, apparently opposed to one another, but yet contributing great strength each to the other; both of which he has here put forward. The one is when we say that persons have suffered much: for the soul is refreshed, when it has many witnesses of its own sufferings, and this he introduced above, saying, Call to mind the former days, in which af…
1. In another place he says the same, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Corinthians 4:18; and from this makes an exhortation with regard to the evils which we endure in this present life; and here he does this, and says, let us continue steadfast; let us have thankfulness, i.e., let us give thanks unto God. For not only …
1. Jesus Comes to Capernaum. Statements of the Four Evangelists Regarding This. After this John 2:12-25 He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and there they abode not many days. And the passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and He found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers…
1. Concerning Those Who Asked Him to Show Them a Sign from Heaven. And the Sadducees and Pharisees came, and tempting Him kept asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. Matthew 16:1 The Sadducees and Pharisees who disagreed with each other in regard to the most essential truths, — for the Pharisees champion the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, hoping that there will …
1. The Power of Harmony in Relation to Prayer. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them. Matthew 18:19 The word symphony is strictly applied to the harmonies of sounds in music. And there are indeed among musical sounds some accordant and others discordant. But the Evangelic Scripture is fam…
She also said, "We who have chosen this way of life must obtain perfect temperance. Among those in the world, temperance has the credit though sin is also present, operating by stealth. For those in the world sin with all the senses: they not only look but also listen to empty things and chatter."
Judge not, that ye be not judged. Enter ye in at the strait gate. Strive to enter in, for many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able. The narrow way is the way of universal holiness: holy tempers, holy desires, holy words, holy actions. By their fruits ye shall know them — not by their profession, not by their opinions, but by the tenor of their lives.
Q. Are all people then saved through Christ just as they were lost through Adam? A. No. Only those are saved who by true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all his blessings.
The Synod rejects the errors of those who teach that corrupt and natural human beings can make such good use of common grace (by which they mean the light of nature) or of the gifts remaining after the fall that they are able thereby gradually to obtain a greater grace — evangelical or saving grace — as well as salvation itself. And that in this way God, for his part, shows him…

Cross-references

  • 1Pet 3:20 — Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
  • 1Pet 3:20 — Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
  • 1Thess 3:2 — And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
  • Acts 14:22 — Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
  • Deut 7:7 — The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
  • Eph 2:2 — Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
  • Isa 24:6 — Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
  • Isa 30:21 — And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
  • Isa 35:8 — And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err ther
  • Isa 57:14 — And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
  • Jer 6:16 — Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
  • John 15:18 — If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
  • John 16:2 — They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
  • John 16:33 — These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
  • Luke 12:32 — Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
  • Luke 13:23 — Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
  • Luke 13:23 — Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
  • Mark 8:34 — And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
  • Matt 16:24 — Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
  • Matt 20:16 — So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
  • Matt 22:14 — For many are called, but few are chosen.
  • Matt 25:1 — Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
  • Prov 4:26 — Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
  • Prov 8:20 — I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
  • Prov 15:24 — The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
  • Ps 16:11 — Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
  • Ps 139:24 — And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
  • Rom 9:27 — Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
  • Rom 9:32 — Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
  • Rom 11:5 — Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
  • Rom 12:2 — And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.