But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Parallel translations
- WEB Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- BSB Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- NKJV But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- NASB And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- NLT Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
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 replies that what is impossible for people is possible with God. Salvation is God's work, not a human achievement.
Overview
Jesus directs his disciples' gaze away from human ability to divine power: people cannot save themselves, but God can do what is impossible for us. This is the heart of the gospel—salvation is a gift of grace, accomplished by God through Christ. It humbles all self-confidence and grounds hope entirely in the saving work of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Jer 32:27Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
- Luke 1:37For with God nothing shall be impossible.
- Job 42:2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
- Luke 18:27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
- Mark 10:27And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
- Jer 32:17Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
- Gen 18:14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
- Ps 62:11God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
- Num 11:23And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
- Zech 8:6Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.
- Ps 3:8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 19:26 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.