Luke 13:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus commands: strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many will seek to enter and shall not be able.
What Does Luke 13:24 Mean?
The answer is an imperative. The gate is strait — narrow — and entering calls for striving, a word drawn from the arena, the straining of an athlete in contest. Many, Jesus warns, will seek to enter and shall not be able; the next verse shows why — they wait until the door is shut.
Jesus refuses to make salvation a topic of speculation; He makes it a summons. The narrow gate is not stinginess in God, for He has just pictured the kingdom as a tree with room for all the birds and a feast gathered from every compass point. It is the honest width of a doorway that must be entered personally, wholeheartedly, and now. Halfhearted seeking, postponed until convenient, finds the door closed; earnest entering finds it open.
Luke 13:24 in the Original Language
agonizomai (ἀγωνίζομαι), 'strive' -- to contend as an athlete strains for the prize.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 13:24
What does Luke 13:24 mean?
Jesus commands: strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many will seek to enter and shall not be able.