Again I tell you, 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 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
- KJV And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
- NKJV And again I say to you, 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 And again I say to you, 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 I’ll say it again—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 God's Kingdom. The vivid image stresses how humanly impossible salvation is for those who trust in wealth.
Overview
The hyperbole of the largest local animal passing through the smallest opening underscores the impossibility of self-saving by the rich. Jesus is not condemning wealth itself but the false security and self-reliance it breeds. The deliberately impossible picture pushes the disciples toward the truth that salvation must come from God's power, not human resources.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- John 5:44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Luke 18:25Indeed, 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.”
- Mark 10:24–25And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
- Jer 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil.
- Matt 19:26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- 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
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 19:24 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.