“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The crucial point isn't just that the "gate" is narrow, but that it's narrow at the entrance. The danger isn't the path itself, but the initial choice of how to begin, making the truly destructive path the one that doesn't even require a conscious decision to enter.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just finished delivering the core of His teachings on authentic righteousness, culminating in the Golden Rule. This verse then serves as a stark warning that following His teachings means choosing a path that separates you from the majority of people, who are instead following an easy, widely accepted way that leads to ruin.
Jesus doesn't just present two destinations, but two distinct starting points for our journey. Have you considered where your path truly begins?
Jesus uses a powerful metaphor of a gate and a way to illustrate two fundamental choices in life. Notice that the "gate" isn't the end of the journey, but the entrance. This means our choices about who we follow and what we commit to are crucial from the very outset.
The key insight here is that the decision to enter is made at the gate, not at the end of the road. This emphasizes the importance of intentional commitment to Christ and His way, rather than assuming we'll end up in the right place by chance.
Why do so many people choose the path that leads to destruction? Jesus reveals the deceptive nature of the easy way.
Jesus contrasts the narrow gate and way with a "wide gate" and "broad way" that leads to destruction. This isn't just about bad behavior; it's about a fundamentally different worldview and way of living.
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Life is found on a path few choose. Discover why the narrow way, though difficult, is the only true way to life.
Jesus presents a stark contrast: the broad way leads to destruction, while the narrow gate leads to life. This isn't about strict adherence to rules for their own sake, but about a transformative journey.
The challenge is to actively seek and walk this path, understanding that the difficulty is temporary, but the destination is eternal.
Understand the original words
stenēs pylēs · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphorical entryway representing the singular, exclusive path of salvation and discipleship. It signifies the difficult, intentional commitment required to follow Christ.
apōleian · Greek Noun
The ultimate state of spiritual death and eternal separation from God’s presence. It is the consequence of rejecting the narrow path of obedience and repentance.
This passage from Luke echoes Matthew's teaching, urging readers to 'strive to enter through the narrow door,' highlighting the effort and intentionality required for salvation.
Proverbs 14:12This proverb states, 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death,' directly paralleling Jesus' warning that the easy way leads to destruction.
Galatians 5:16-17Paul's description of the 'desires of the flesh' warring against the 'Spirit' illustrates the internal struggle that makes the narrow way difficult, contrasting it with the flesh's inclination towards the broad path.
John 10:7Jesus declares, 'I am the door of the sheep,' offering Himself as the specific and true entrance, implying that He is the narrow gate into relationship with God, not a wide, general opening.
Matthew 19:23-24Jesus' statement 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 heaven' reinforces the idea that entering God's kingdom requires significant detachment from worldly comforts and ease.
vincentMatthew 7:13: "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 thereat:"
Strait gate (στενῆς πύλης)Rev., narrow. A remarkable parallel to this passage occurs in the "Pinax" or "Tablet" of Cebes, a writer contemporary with Socrates. In this, human life, with its dangers and temptations, is symbolically represented as on a tablet. The passage is as follows: "Seest thou not, then, a little door, and a way befo…
bensonMatthew 7:13: "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 thereat:"
Matthew 7:13. Enter ye in at the strait gate — The gate of true conversion, of self-denial, mortification, and universal holiness; the gate in at which few, comparatively speaking, are inclined to enter. “How strait,” says Erasmus, in his paraphrase on the place, “is the gate, how narrow the way that leadeth to life! In the way, nothing…
The crucial point isn't just that the "gate" is narrow, but that it's narrow at the entrance. The danger isn't the path itself, but the initial choice of how to begin, making the truly destructive path the one that doesn't even require a conscious decision to enter.
Jesus has just finished delivering the core of His teachings on authentic righteousness, culminating in the Golden Rule. This verse then serves as a stark warning that following His teachings means choosing a path that separates you from the majority of people, who are instead following an easy, widely accepted way that leads to ruin.
Jesus has just finished delivering the core of His teachings on authentic righteousness, culminating in the Golden Rule. This verse then serves as a stark warning that following His teachings means choosing a path that separates you from the majority of people, who are instead following an easy, widely accepted way that leads to ruin.
"“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many." — The crucial point isn't just that the "gate" is narrow, but that it's narrow at the entrance. The danger isn't the path itself, but the initial choice of how to begin, making the truly destructive…
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Last reviewed October 2026