Luke 13:24

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Strive	ἀγωνίζεσθε agōnizesthe	G75	to struggle · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person plural
to enter in	εἰσελθεῖν eiselthein	G1525	to enter (literally or figuratively) · verb — second aorist active infinitive
at	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
the strait	στενῆς stenēs	G4728	narrow (from obstacles standing close about) · adjective — genitive singular feminine
gate	πύλη pýlē	G4439	a gate
for	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
many	πολλοί, polloi	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative plural masculine
I say	λέγω legō	G3004	properly · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
unto you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
will seek	ζητήσουσιν zētēsousin	G2212	to seek (literally or figuratively) · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person plural
to enter in	εἰσελθεῖν eiselthein	G1525	to enter (literally or figuratively) · verb — second aorist active infinitive
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
shall	ἰσχύσουσιν. ischusousin	G2480	to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively) · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person plural
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
be able	ἰσχύω ischýō	G2480	to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there…
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before…
Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for…
Philippians 2:12-13 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation wi…
Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Luke 13:23-30

We have here, I. A question put to our Lord Jesus. Who it was that put it we are not told, whether a friend or a foe; for he both gave a great liberty of questioning him and returned answers to the thoughts and intents of the heart. The question was, Are there few that are saved? Luk 13:23 : ei oligoi hoi sōzomenoi - "If the saved be few? Master, I have heard thou shouldest say so; is it true?" 1. Perhaps it was a captious question. He put it to him, tempting him, with a design to ensnare him and lessen his reputation. If he should say that many would be saved, they would reproach him as too loose, and making salvation cheap; if few, they would reproach him as precise and strait-laced. The…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 13:24

Strive--The word signifies to "contend" as for the mastery, to "struggle," expressive of the difficulty of being saved, as if one would have to force his way in. strait gate--another figure of the same. (See on Mat 7:13-14). for many . . . will seek--"desire," that is, with a mere wish or slothful endeavor. and shall not be able--because it must be made a life-and-death struggle.

Adam Clarke on Luke 13:24

Many - will seek - They seek - wish and desire; but they do not strive; therefore, because they will not agonize - will not be in earnest, they shall not get in. See this subject more particularly explained on Mat 7:13, Mat 7:14 (note).

John Gill on Luke 13:24

Strive to enter in at the strait gate,.... What is meant by the strait gate, and by entering in at it; see Gill on Matthew 7:13. To "strive", is to be diligent in the use of means; to search the Scriptures with care; to attend on the preaching of the word with constancy, neglecting no opportunity; to pray earnestly for spiritual light, knowledge, and grace; to contend with every enemy that opposes the salvation of the soul, as sin, Satan, and the world; to bear all reproaches and persecutions, and press through all difficulties, for the prize of the incorruptible crown: the metaphor seems to be taken from the striving, wrestling, and combat in the Olympic games, for a corruptible crown: for…

The Church Fathers

Urged thereto by their love of safety, yet shall not be able, frightened by the roughness of the road.
— Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

More easily, it may be, through the "strait gate" of salvation will slenderer flesh enter; more speedily will lighter flesh rise; longer in the sepulchre will drier flesh retain its firmness.
— Tertullian, On Fasting

(Mor. 11. c. 50.) Now when He was about to speak of the entrance of the narrow gate, He said first, strive, for unless the mind struggles manfully, the wave of the world is not overcome, by which the soul is ever thrown back again into the deep.
— Gregory the Dialogist ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Agony — Contest; wrestling; severe struggling with pain and suffering. Anguish is the reflection on evil that is already past, while agony is a struggle with evil at the time present. It is only used in the…
Entertainments · None admitted to, after the master had risen and shut the door — None admitted to, after the master had risen and shut the door
Formalism · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Judgment · THE GENERAL — THE GENERAL
Reprobacy · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Seekers · 5:4-6,8,14;8:12; — 5:4-6,8,14;8:12;
Self-Delusion · Frequently persevered in, to the end — Frequently persevered in, to the end
Strait Gate · (The narrow path toward righteousness) — (The narrow path toward righteousness)

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Luke 13:24

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Luke 13:23-30

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 13:24

Adam Clarke on Luke 13:24

John Gill on Luke 13:24

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Luke 13:24

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Luke 13:23-30

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 13:24

Adam Clarke on Luke 13:24

John Gill on Luke 13:24

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Luke 13:23-24

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Luke 13:23