And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”
- BSB Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
- NKJV Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
- NASB And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”
- NLT Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich 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 observes how hard it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom. Wealth easily becomes a barrier to wholehearted trust in God.
Overview
Turning the encounter into teaching, Jesus warns that riches breed self-reliance and divided hearts. The difficulty lies not in money itself but in the trust and security people place in it. This challenges the common assumption that prosperity is a sign of God's favor and readiness for the kingdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Cor 1:26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
- Luke 18:24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
- Mark 3:5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
- Jas 2:5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
- Matt 18:3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
- Jas 4:4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
- John 3:5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
- 2 Pet 1:11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
- Matt 19:23–26Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 5:32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 10:23 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.