Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
- KJV For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
- NKJV For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
- NASB For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!”
- NLT In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. Salvation is humanly impossible.
Overview
The vivid hyperbole of the largest local animal and the smallest opening stresses sheer impossibility from a human standpoint. The rich are especially prone to self-reliance, but the saying ultimately exposes that no one can enter the Kingdom by their own resources. It prepares for Jesus' point that salvation is God's work, not man's achievement.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Matt 23:24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 18:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.