Matthew 19:24 - The Rich Young Man (2024)

New International Version
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”New Living Translation
I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”English Standard Version
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”Berean Standard Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Berean Literal Bible
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."King James Bible
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.New King James Version
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”New American Standard Bible
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”NASB 1995
“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”NASB 1977
“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Legacy Standard Bible
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Amplified Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth and status] to enter the kingdom of God.”Christian Standard Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”Holman Christian Standard Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” American Standard Version
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And again I say to you that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”Contemporary English Version
In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom." Douay-Rheims Bible
And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. English Revised Version
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.GOD'S WORD® Translation
I can guarantee again that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."Good News Translation
I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." International Standard Version
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God."Literal Standard Version
and again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”Majority Standard Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”New American Bible
Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”NET Bible
Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God."New Revised Standard Version
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”New Heart English Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich person to enter into the Kingdom of God."Webster's Bible Translation
And again I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.Weymouth New Testament
Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."World English Bible
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” Young's Literal Translation
and again I say to you, it is easier for a camel through the eye of a needle to go, than for a rich man to enter into the reign of God.'Additional Translations ...

(24) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.--Two explanations have been given of the apparent hyperbole of the words. (1.) It has been conjectured that the Evangelists wrote not ??????? (a camel), but ??????? (a cable). Not a single MS., however, gives that reading, and the latter word, which is not found in any classical Greek author, is supposed by the best scholars (e.g., Liddell and Scott) to have been invented for the sake of explaining this passage. (2.) The fact that in some modern Syrian cities the narrow gate for foot-passengers, at the side of the larger gate, by which wagons, camels, and other beasts of burden enter the city, is known as the "needle's eye," has been assumed to have come down from a remote antiquity, and our Lord's words are explained as alluding to it. The fact--to which attention was first called in Lord Nugent's Lands, Classical and Sacred--is certainly interesting, and could the earlier use of the term in this sense be proved, would give a certain vividness to our Lord's imagery. It is not, however, necessary. The Talmud gives the parallel phrase of an elephant passing through a needle's eye. The Koran reproduces the very words of the Gospel. There is no reason to think that the comparison, even if it was not already proverbial, would present the slightest difficulty to the minds of the disciples. Like all such comparisons, it states a general fact, the hindrance which wealth presents to the higher growths of holiness, in the boldest possible form, in order to emphasise its force, and leaves out of sight the limits and modifications with which it has to be received, and which in this instance (according to the text on which the English version is based) were supplied immediately by our Lord Himself (Mark 10:24).

Verse 24. - Again I say unto you. The disciples, St. Mark notes, "were astonished at his words," so he proceeds to state the startling proposition more unreservedly and energetically. It is easier for a camel, etc. This is a proverbial expression for an impossibility. A similar proverb is found in many countries, only substituting another great animal instead of the camel, e.g., the elephant. From taking a too literal view of the passage, some commentators have invented a gate at Jerusalem, low and narrow, designed only for foot passengers, which was called "the needle's eye." Others have remedied the supposed absurdity by reading κάμιλος (if, indeed, there is such a word) "rope," for κάμηλος, as if we were to say cable instead of camel. But there is no difficulty in the expression. Such hyperboles and paradoxes are common in all languages (comp. Matthew 23:24). The impossibility, indeed (as ver. 26 shows), is relative, but the warning is none the less real and terrible. The Lord says that the possession of riches prevents the owner from following him, and endangers his eternal salvation; for that is what it comes to. In St. Mark (whether the words are genuine or not is uncertain) we find a limitation introduced: "How hard it is for them that trust in riches!" Now, this is the effect of riches; men learn to trust in them, to deem that their earthly state is secure, that change and chance will not affect them, that they are, so to speak, independent of Providence; they love the world which is so good to them and so pleasant in their eyes, and they have no earnest longing for a better home. Such is the natural consequence of the possession of wealth, and that which makes the impossibility of entrance into the kingdom. Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Again
πάλιν (palin)
Adverb
Strong's 3825: Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you,
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

[it] is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

easier for
εὐκοπώτερόν (eukopōteron)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 2123: Easier. Comparative of a compound of eu and kopos; better for toil, i.e. More facile.

a camel
κάμηλον (kamēlon)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2574: A camel or dromedary. Of Hebrew origin; a 'camel'.

to pass
εἰσελθεῖν (eiselthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

through
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[the] eye
τρυπήματος (trypēmatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 5169: A hole; the eye of a needle. From a derivative of the base of trumalia; an aperture, i.e. A needle's eye.

of a needle
ῥαφίδος (rhaphidos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4476: A needle. From a primary rhapto; a needle.

than for
ἢ (ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

a rich man
πλούσιον (plousion)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4145: Rich, abounding in, wealthy; subst: a rich man. From ploutos; wealthy; figuratively, abounding with.

to enter
εἰσελθεῖν (eiselthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

kingdom
βασιλείαν (basileian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932: From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.

of
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

God.”
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

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