TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Furthermore, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a rich man 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.”
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.
World English Bible Messianic
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 the Kingdom of God.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And againe I say vnto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into ye kingdome of God.
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.'
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In the KJVVerse 23,787 of 31,102
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Hilary of PoitiersAD 367
Commentary on Matthew 19.10-11
The arrogant young man, when told to make good his failure to obey the law, is downcast and sad. To the people of which he is a prototype, the cross and Passion are a stumbling block. There is no salvation for this young man there. But he glories in the law, despises the Gentiles and refuses to cross into the freedom of the gospel; therefore it will be difficult for him to enter the kingdom of heaven. For few of them—and compared with the multitude of the Gentiles they are very rare—were those Jews who would believe. It was difficult for them to bend their will, long hardened under the law, to the gospel’s preaching of humility. But more easily will the camel pass through the eye of a needle. A camel cannot fit into the eye of a needle, nor can the bulk of the huge beast be received by the narrow mouth of the tiny hole. In the beginning of this book in discussing John’s clothing I pointed out that the camel signifies the Gentiles. For this beast obeys the word, is restrained by fear, is tolerant of fasting and kneels to take on its burden with a kind of ordered discipline. In this comparison the wildness of the Gentiles has been tamed by obedience to God’s commandments. These then enter the very narrow path of the heavenly kingdom, that is, the needle, which is the preaching of the gospel word. By it the wounds of the body are stitched together, the torn clothing is rewoven, and death itself is pricked. Therefore this is the route of this new preaching. Into it the weakness of the Gentiles will enter with less difficulty than the opulence of the rich man, that is, of the one taking pride in the law.
Hilary of Poitiers (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 367
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
To have riches is no sin; but moderation is to be observed in our havings. For how shall we communicate to the necessities of the saints, if we have not out of what we may communicate?
It is a dangerous toil to become rich; and guiltlessness occupied in increasing its wealth has taken upon itself a sore burden; the servant of God gains not the things of the world, clear of the sins of the world. Hence is the difficulty of entering the kingdom of heaven.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 63
But having said it was hard; as He proceeds, He shows that it is even impossible, and not merely impossible, but even in the highest degree impossible; and this He showed by the comparison concerning the camel and the needle.
"It is easier" saith He, "for a camel to enter in by the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Whence it is shown, that there is no ordinary reward for them that are rich, and are able to practise self command. Wherefore also He affirmed it to be a work of God, that He might show that great grace is needed for him who is to achieve this.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
What He spoke was not condemning riches in themselves, but those who were enslaved by them; also encouraging His disciples that being poor they should not be ashamed by reason of their poverty.
Having said that it was hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, He now proceeds to show that it is impossible, 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 heaven, (Is. 60:6.)
The disciples though poor are troubled for the salvation of others, beginning even now to have the bowels of doctors.
This therefore He proceeds to show is the work of God, there needing much grace to guide a man in the midst of riches; But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. By the word beheld them, the Evangelist conveys that He soothed their troubled soul by His merciful eye.
And this is not said that you should sit supinely, and let alone what may seem impossibilities; but considering the greatness of righteousness, you should strive to enter in with entreaty to God.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 24 and following) 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 heaven. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' This statement shows that it is not difficult, but impossible. For if a camel cannot enter through the eye of a needle, so a rich person cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, no rich person will be saved. But if we read Isaiah, how the camels of Midian and Ephah come to Jerusalem with gifts and offerings (Isa. 60): and how those who were previously bent and distorted by the corruption of vices enter the gates of Jerusalem, we will see how even these camels, to whom the rich are compared, when they have unloaded the heavy burden of sins and the corruption of the whole body, are able to enter through the narrow gate and the narrow way that leads to life (Above 7). But when the disciples asked and were amazed at the severity of his words, he tempered the severity of his statement with his mercy, saying: What is impossible for men is possible for God.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Because riches once gained are hard to be despised, He saith not it is impossible, but it is hard. Difficulty does not imply the impossibility, but points out the infrequency of the occurrence.
According to this, no rich man can be saved. But if we read Isaiah, how the camels of Midian and Ephah came to Jerusalem with gifts and presents, and they who once were crooked and bowed down by the weight of their sins, enter the gates of Jerusalem, we shall see how these camels, to which the rich are likened when they have laid aside the heavy load of sins, and the distortion of their whole bodies, may then enter by that narrow and strait way that leads to life.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The Gentile souls are likened to the deformed body of the camel, in which is seen the humpback of idolatry; for the knowledge of God is the exaltation of the soul. The needle is the Son of God, the fine point of which is His divinity, and the thicker part what He is according to His incarnation. But it is altogether straight and without turning; and through the womb of His passion, the Gentiles have entered into life eternal. By this needle is sewn the robe of immortality; it is this needle that has sewn the flesh to the spirit, that has joined together the Jews and the Gentiles, and coupled man in friendship with angels. It is easier therefore for the Gentiles to pass through the needle's eye, than for the rich Jews to enter into the kingdom of heaven. For if the Gentiles are with such difficulty withdrawn from the irrational worship of idols, how much more hardly shall the Jews be withdrawn from the reasonable service of God?
Remigius of Rheims (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 533
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Whence in Mark the Lord expounding the meaning of this saying, speaks thus, It is hard for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mark 10:24.) They trust in riches, who build all their hopes on them.
This must not be so understood as though it were possible for God to cause that the rich, the covetous, the avaricious, and the proud should enter into the kingdom of heaven; but to cause him to be converted, and so enter.
Gregory the Dialogist (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 604
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Mor. xxxv. 16.) Or, by the rich man He intends any one who is proud, by the camel he denotes the right humility. The camel passed through the needle's eye, when our Redeemer through the narrow way of suffering entered in to the taking upon Him death; for that passion was as a needle which pricked the body with pain. But the camel enters the needle's eye easier than the rich man enters the kingdom of heaven; because if He had not first shown us by His passion the form of His humility, our proud stiffness would never have bent itself to His lowliness.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
But though there be a difference between having and loving riches, yet it is safer neither to have nor to love them.
Glossa Ordinaria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1274
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ap. Anselm.) The Lord took occasion from this rich man to hold discourse concerning the covetous; Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, &c.
(ap. Anselm.) It is explained otherwise; That at Jerusalem there was a certain gate, called, The needle's eye, through which a camel could not pass, but on its bended knees, and after its burden had been taken off; and so the rich should not be able to pass along the narrow way that leads to life, till he had put off the burden of sin, and of riches, that is, by ceasing to love them.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jesus delivers a profoundly challenging and memorable metaphor, asserting that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. This striking hyperbole immediately follows the departure of a wealthy young man who was unwilling to relinquish his possessions to follow Christ, serving as a stark commentary on the spiritual perils of material wealth and the radical, humanly impossible demands of true discipleship, which can only be met through divine intervention.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The most prominent literary device in Matthew 19:24 is Hyperbole. Jesus uses intentional and extreme exaggeration—the image of a camel passing through the eye of a sewing needle—to emphasize the profound difficulty, indeed the human impossibility, for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. This vivid imagery is not meant to be taken literally as a physical possibility, but rather to shock the audience and underscore the radical nature of kingdom requirements. The absurdity of the image serves to highlight the spiritual truth that human effort, especially when entangled with the love of wealth, is utterly insufficient for salvation. The device also employs Contrast, juxtaposing the immense size of the camel with the minuscule opening of the needle, and by extension, the perceived power and security of wealth with the humble, dependent nature required for kingdom entry.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 19:24 profoundly challenges conventional human wisdom regarding wealth and salvation, asserting that material riches, far from being a guarantee of divine favor, can become a formidable spiritual obstacle. This verse underscores a fundamental theological truth: entry into God's kingdom is not based on human merit, status, or accumulation of possessions, but on radical surrender and divine grace. It exposes the idolatrous potential of wealth, where trust in riches supplants trust in God, and self-sufficiency replaces humble dependence. Jesus's statement serves as a stark reminder that the kingdom of God demands an unreserved commitment and a willingness to forsake all that hinders one's pursuit of Christ, revealing that true spiritual poverty, not material wealth, is the posture required for receiving God's unmerited favor.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jesus's teaching in Matthew 19:24 remains profoundly relevant for believers today, prompting a critical examination of our relationship with material possessions and our ultimate allegiances. It challenges us to consider whether our financial security, career aspirations, or material comforts have subtly, or overtly, become idols that compete with our devotion to Christ. The verse does not condemn wealth itself, but rather the love of money and the trust placed in it, which can blind us to our spiritual need and hinder our full surrender to God. True discipleship calls for a radical detachment from the world's allurements, a willingness to prioritize the eternal over the temporary, and a deep recognition that our ultimate security and satisfaction are found only in God. This passage invites us to cultivate a spirit of generosity, stewardship, and humble dependence, recognizing that everything we possess is ultimately a gift from God to be used for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Jesus condemn all wealthy people or wealth itself in this verse?
Answer: No, Jesus does not condemn all wealthy people or wealth itself. The thrust of His teaching in Matthew 19:24 is against the love of money and the trust placed in riches, which can become an idol and an impediment to spiritual surrender. The rich young ruler, in the preceding verses, was unwilling to part with his possessions because his wealth held his heart. The issue is not the possession of wealth, but the spiritual posture towards it—whether one's heart is enslaved by it or free to follow Christ unreservedly. The Bible contains examples of wealthy individuals who were faithful followers of God, such as Abraham, Job, and Lydia (see Acts 16:14-15). The warning is against the spiritual danger that wealth often presents, making it "easier" for those who are poor in spirit to recognize their need for God.
Is there historical evidence for a narrow gate in Jerusalem called "the Needle's Eye" that camels would struggle to pass through?
Answer: While this theory has been popular in some circles, there is no credible historical or archaeological evidence to support the existence of a gate in Jerusalem, or anywhere else, known as "the Needle's Eye" through which camels would pass with difficulty. This interpretation attempts to soften the radical nature of Jesus's statement by suggesting it's merely difficult, not impossible. However, the consistent use of "camel through the eye of a needle" in ancient Near Eastern proverbial language was a well-understood hyperbole for something utterly impossible. Jesus's point was precisely to emphasize the human impossibility of salvation for those who cling to their wealth, thereby highlighting the absolute necessity of God's miraculous intervention, as He clarifies in Matthew 19:26.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The seemingly impossible scenario presented in Matthew 19:24—a camel passing through the eye of a needle—finds its profound fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. What is impossible for humanity, especially for those entangled by the deceptive allure of wealth, becomes gloriously possible through Him. Jesus Himself, though "He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich." He perfectly exemplified the radical detachment from worldly status and possessions, humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross (see Philippians 2:5-8). His sacrifice on Calvary opened the way for all, rich or poor, to enter the kingdom of God, not through their own merit or ability to divest themselves of possessions, but solely through faith in His finished work. The "kingdom of God" is entered not by human striving but by God's grace, made available through Christ's perfect obedience and atoning death, offering salvation as a free gift to all who believe, as Ephesians 2:8-9 declares. Thus, the impossibility for the rich man is overcome by the all-sufficiency of Christ, who makes the impossible possible for all who trust in Him.