Matthew 19:26

19:26 Jesus ¹  looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, ²  but for God all things are possible.”

Matthew 24:24

24:24 For false messiahs ³  and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Matthew 26:39

26:39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, ⁴  “My Father, if possible, ⁵  let this cup ⁶  pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anqrwpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men, but for God all things are possible”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” in v. 28.

³ tn Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

⁵ tn Grk “ground, praying and saying.” Here the participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

⁶ tn Grk “if it is possible.”

⁷ sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.