But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just saying God can do anything; he's highlighting that salvation, which is impossible for humans to achieve on their own effort, becomes attainable through God's divine intervention. It's a profound shift from human ability to divine grace, especially in the context of the rich young ruler's struggle with his wealth.
But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Jesus tells the wealthy young ruler that it's incredibly difficult for rich people to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye, the disciples are astonished and ask, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' response directly addresses their bewilderment, explaining that while human effort and reliance on riches make salvation seem impossible, God's power transcends all human limitations.
Ever felt like you're trying your hardest, but it's just not enough? This verse hits that feeling head-on.
Jesus lays out a stark reality: for the rich young ruler, and by extension for all of us, true righteousness and entry into God's kingdom are impossible through human effort alone. The ruler thought he had kept all the commandments, yet he lacked one crucial thing – the willingness to surrender his all to God. This isn't a flaw in God's law, but a testament to human brokenness. Our own best efforts, our moral achievements, and our self-reliance fall infinitely short of God's perfect standard.
What Makes It Impossible?
When you hit a wall, do you look for another way around, or do you remember Who builds the bridges?
The second part of Jesus' statement is the glorious flip side: '...are possible with God.' This isn't just a hopeful platitude; it's the core of the Gospel. While human beings fail, God succeeds. He is not bound by our limitations.
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How God Makes the Impossible Possible:
When Jesus says, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God,' He points us away from our own fruitless striving and directs our gaze to His boundless power to save and transform.
Understand the original words
adunatos · Greek Adjective
Refers to the state of being unable to achieve something through human strength, intellect, or resources; in this context, it highlights the total dependence of humanity on divine intervention for salvation.
The verse comes from a pivotal moment where Jesus highlights the immense barrier wealth can pose to following Him, yet immediately pivots to God's sovereign power to overcome human impossibility, a truth powerfully illustrated by the later conversion of Zacchaeus.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus encounters the Rich Young Ruler
A wealthy, moral young man asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life, but recoils when Jesus tells him to sell all he owns and follow Him.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus teaches disciples about riches
Jesus uses the analogy of a camel passing through a needle's eye to emphasize the extreme difficulty for the rich to enter God's kingdom.
c. AD 30-33
Disciples question who can be saved
Astonished by Jesus' teaching on riches, the disciples ask who, then, can possibly be saved, prompting Jesus' statement.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus speaks of God's power
Jesus reassures his disciples by stating that while salvation is impossible by human effort, it is entirely possible through God's power.
c. AD 30-33
Zacchaeus' conversion
Shortly after, Jesus calls Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, to salvation, demonstrating God's power to transform even the wealthy and despised.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' statement, emphasizing that while salvation is impossible for humans to achieve on their own, God's power makes it achievable.
Genesis 18:14This verse from the Old Testament presents a similar theme where God questions Sarah about the possibility of childbirth in her old age, implying that what seems impossible to humans is within God's capabilities.
Jeremiah 32:17The prophet Jeremiah cries out, 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard for you,' which powerfully illustrates the boundless ability of God that Jesus refers to.
Philippians 4:13This New Testament verse states, 'I can do all things through him who strengthens me,' offering a personal application of God's power enabling believers to overcome humanly impossible challenges.
Luke 1:37This verse, speaking of the virgin birth of Jesus, declares, 'For nothing will be impossible with God,' serving as a foundational example of God's power working in ways beyond human understanding.
calvinLuke 18:24-27: "And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
- And Jesus said to his disciples, Verily I say to you, A rich man will with difficulty enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24. Again I say to you, It is easier for a camel [630] to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25. And his disciples, when they had heard these things, were greatly amazed, [631] sa…
gillLuke 18:27: "And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
And he said,.... That is, Jesus, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it: the things which are impossible with men, are possible with God; See Gill on Matthew 19:26.
Jesus isn't just saying God can do anything; he's highlighting that salvation, which is impossible for humans to achieve on their own effort, becomes attainable through God's divine intervention. It's a profound shift from human ability to divine grace, especially in the context of the rich young ruler's struggle with his wealth.
After Jesus tells the wealthy young ruler that it's incredibly difficult for rich people to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye, the disciples are astonished and ask, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' response directly addresses their bewilderment, explaining that while human effort and reliance on riches make salvation seem impossible, God's power transcends all human limitations.
After Jesus tells the wealthy young ruler that it's incredibly difficult for rich people to enter God's kingdom, even comparing it to a camel passing through a needle's eye, the disciples are astonished and ask, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' response directly addresses their bewilderment, explaining that while human effort and reliance on riches make salvation seem impossible, God's power transcends all human limitations.
"But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”" — Jesus isn't just saying God can do anything; he's highlighting that salvation, which is impossible for humans to achieve on their own effort, becomes attainable through God's divine intervention.…
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Last reviewed October 2026