Logos Bible Study

Luke 13:24–25

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13:24“Exert every effort82 to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 13:25Once83 the head of the house84 gets up85 and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord,86 let us in!’87 But he will answer you,88 ‘I don’t know where you come from.’89

Read in Logos
Luke 13:24: ...Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Footnotes

  1. 82 Or “Make every effort” (L&N 68.74; cf. ); “Do your best” (); “Work hard” (); Grk “Struggle.” The idea is to exert one’s maximum effort (cf. ἀγωνίζομαι 2.b, “strain every nerve to enter”) because of the supreme importance of attaining entry into the kingdom of God.
  2. 83 The syntactical relationship between vv. 24–25 is disputed. The question turns on whether v. 25 is connected to v. 24 or not. A lack of a clear connective makes an independent idea more likely. However, one must then determine what the beginning of the sentence connects to. Though it makes for slightly awkward English, the translation has opted to connect it to “he will answer” so that this functions, in effect, as an apodosis. One could end the sentence after “us” and begin a new sentence with “He will answer” to make simpler sentences, although the connection between the two sentences is thereby less clear. The point of the passage, however, is clear. Once the door is shut, because one failed to come in through the narrow way, it is closed permanently. The moral: Do not be too late in deciding to respond.
  3. 84 Or “the master of the household.”
  4. 85 Or “rises,” or “stands up.”
  5. 86 Or “Sir.”
  6. 87 Grk “Open to us.”
  7. 88 Grk “and answering, he will say to you.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “he will answer you.”
  8. 89 For the imagery behind the statement “I do not know where you come from,” see Ps 138:6; Isa 63:16; Jer 1:5; Hos 5:3.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’

NLTNew Living Translation

“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to, when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ And he will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from!’

KJV 1900King James Version

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: