Matthew 7:14

American Standard Version (1901)

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

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

Transliteration

Because stenē hē pylē, and tethlimmenē hē hodos, the apagousa eis tēn zōēn, and oligoi eisin hoi heuriskontes autēn.

Grammar Details

• *Hoti*: conjunction - because/for/that
• *stenē*: nominative singular feminine - narrow
• *hē pylē*: nominative singular feminine - the gate
• *tethlimmenē*: perfect passive participle, nominative singular feminine - having been confined/restricted
• *hē hodos*: nominative singular feminine - the way/road
• *hē apagousa*: nominative singular feminine present active participle - the leading away
• *eis*: preposition with accusative - into/to
• *tēn zōēn*: accusative singular feminine - the life
• *oligoi*: nominative plural masculine - few
• *eisin*: present active indicative, 3rd person plural - are
• *hoi heuriskontes*: nominative plural masculine present active participle - the ones finding
• *autēn*: accusative singular feminine - it/her [referring to gate/way]

Word Meanings

• *stenē*: narrow/confined/restricted
• *tethlimmenē*: compressed/confined/afflicted/restricted
• *hodos*: way/road/path/journey
• *apagousa*: leading away/taking away/conducting
• *zōēn*: life/existence/divine life
• *oligoi*: few/small number/not many
• *heuriskontes*: finding/discovering/obtaining

Referenced Verses

• Mark 8:34 : 34 And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
• Matt 16:24-25 : 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.
• Isa 35:8 : 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed] : the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err [therein] .
• Luke 13:23-30 : 23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; 26 then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets; 27 and he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without. 29 And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.
• Rom 12:2 : 2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
• John 16:33 : 33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
• Acts 14:22 : 22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
• Prov 8:20 : 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;
• Matt 22:14 : 14 For many are called, but few chosen.
• Matt 25:1-9 : 1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them: 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
• Isa 30:21 : 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.
• John 15:18-20 : 18 If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before [it hated] you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
• 1 Pet 3:20-21 : 20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
• Prov 4:26-27 : 26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
• Eph 2:2-3 : 2 wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--
• 1 Thess 3:2-5 : 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God's minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort [you] concerning your faith; 3 that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know. 5 For this cause I also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.
• John 16:2 : 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God.
• Rom 9:27-29 : 27 And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved: 28 for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short. 29 And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah.
• Rom 9:32 : 32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
• Rom 11:5-6 : 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
• Isa 57:14 : 14 And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
• Jer 6:16 : 16 Thus saith Jehovah, 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] .
• Matt 20:16 : 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.
• Luke 12:32 : 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.