Matthew 7:13

The Narrow Gate

7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

Matthew 22:14

22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Luke 14:24

14:24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals ¹  who were invited ²  will taste my banquet!’” ³ 

Romans 8:30

8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:1

The Believer’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ⁴ 

Romans 2:13

2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. ⁵ 

Romans 2:2

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ⁶  against those who practice such things.

Romans 2:13-14

2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. ⁷  2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, ⁸  who do not have the law, do by nature ⁹  the things required by the law, ¹⁰  these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.

James 1:23-25

1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone ¹¹  who gazes at his own face ¹²  in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets ¹³  what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, ¹⁴  and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he ¹⁵  will be blessed in what he does. ¹⁶ 

[14:24]  ¹ tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which frequently stresses males or husbands (in contrast to women or wives). However, the emphasis in the present context is on identifying these individuals as the ones previously invited, examples of which were given in vv. 18-20. Cf. also BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 2.

[14:24]  ² sn None of those individuals who were invited. This is both the point and the warning. To be a part of the original invitation does not mean one automatically has access to blessing. One must respond when the summons comes in order to participate. The summons came in the person of Jesus and his proclamation of the kingdom. The statement here refers to the fact that many in Israel will not be blessed with participation, for they have ignored the summons when it came.

[14:24]  ³ tn Or “dinner.”

[8:1]  ⁴ tc The earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts, as well as a few others (א* B D* F G 6 1506 1739 1881 pc co), have no additional words for v. 1. Later scribes (A D¹ Ψ 81 365 629 pc vg) added the words μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν (mh kata sarka peripatousin, “who do not walk according to the flesh”), while even later ones (א² D² 33^vid Ï) added ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα (alla kata pneuma, “but [who do walk] according to the Spirit”). Both the external evidence and the internal evidence are compelling for the shortest reading. The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace. The KJV follows the longest reading found in Ï.

[2:13]  ⁵ tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”

[2:2]  ⁶ tn Or “based on truth.”

[2:13]  ⁷ tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”

[2:14]  ⁸ sn Gentile is a NT term for a non-Jew.

[2:14]  ⁹ tn Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:135-37) take the phrase φύσει (fusei, “by nature”) to go with the preceding “do not have the law,” thus: “the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature,” that is, by virtue of not being born Jewish.

[2:14]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “do by nature the things of the law.”

[1:23]  ¹¹ tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”

[1:23]  ¹² tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”

[1:24]  ¹³ tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”

[1:25]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “continues.”

[1:25]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[1:25]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “in his doing.”