Matthew 19:24

19:24 Again I say, ¹  it is easier for a camel ²  to go through the eye of a needle ³  than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Mark 9:47

9:47 If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! ⁴  It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have ⁵  two eyes and be thrown into hell,

Mark 10:24-25

10:24 The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, ⁶  “Children, how hard it is ⁷  to enter the kingdom of God! 10:25 It is easier for a camel ⁸  to go through the eye of a needle ⁹  than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5

3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, ¹⁰  unless a person is born of water and spirit, ¹¹  he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:2

3:2 came to Jesus ¹²  at night ¹³  and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs ¹⁴  that you do unless God is with him.”

John 1:11

1:11 He came to what was his own, ¹⁵  but ¹⁶  his own people ¹⁷  did not receive him. ¹⁸ 

¹ tn Grk “I say to you.”

² tc A few late witnesses (579 1424 pc) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamhlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.

³ sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.

⁴ tn Grk “throw it out.”

⁵ tn Grk “than having.”

⁶ tn Grk “But answering, Jesus again said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.

⁷ tc Most mss (A C D Θ Ë^1,13 28 565 2427 Ï lat sy) have here “for those who trust in riches” (τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐπὶ [τοῖς] χρήμασιν, tou" pepoiqota" epi [toi"] crhmasin); W has πλούσιον (plousion) later in the verse, producing the same general modification on the dominical saying (“how hard it is for the rich to enter…”). But such qualifications on the Lord’s otherwise harsh and absolute statements are natural scribal expansions, intended to soften the dictum. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others (א B Δ Ψ sa), lack any such qualifications. That W lacks the longer expansion and only has πλούσιον suggests that its archetype agreed with א B here; its voice should be heard with theirs. Thus, both on external and internal grounds, the shorter reading is preferred.

⁸ tc A few witnesses (˹³ 28 579 pc) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamhlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.

⁹ sn The referent of the eye of a needle is a sewing needle. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus was speaking rhetorically to point out that apart from God’s intervention, salvation is impossible (v. 27).

¹⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

¹¹ tn Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [pneumatos], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”).

¹² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Or “during the night.”

¹⁴ sn The reference to signs (σημεῖα, shmeia) forms a link with John 2:23-25. Those people in Jerusalem believed in Jesus because of the signs he had performed. Nicodemus had apparently seen them too. But for Nicodemus all the signs meant is that Jesus was a great teacher sent from God. His approach to Jesus was well-intentioned but theologically inadequate; he had failed to grasp the messianic implications of the miraculous signs.

¹⁵ tn Grk “to his own things.”

¹⁶ tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”

¹⁷ tn “People” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

¹⁸ sn His own people did not receive him. There is a subtle irony here: When the λόγος (logos) came into the world, he came to his own (τὰ ἴδια, ta idia, literally “his own things”) and his own people (οἱ ἴδιοι, Joi idioi), who should have known and received him, but they did not. This time John does not say that “his own” did not know him, but that they did not receive him (παρέλαβον, parelabon). The idea is one not of mere recognition, but of acceptance and welcome.