Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate:

Spoken to
audience

On his way to Jerusalem, when someone asks him if there are few who will be saved.

KJV

Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

NIV

Luke 13:24 Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

LISTENERS HEARD

Fight to enter by the narrow gate because many, I tell you. might seek to enter and won't be able. 

MY TAKE

Some strengths we must fight for.

GREEK ORDER

Ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας, ὅτι          πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν,
Fight            to enter    by  the narrow gate     because many,    I tell  you,

ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ    ἰσχύσουσιν,
might seek  to enter and   won't be able. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The first word means "fight," so getting through the narrow gate is a struggle. From the context, Jesus is talking about entering into being saved. The "seek" and "be able" at the end are both in a form that could be the future tense or something that might possibly happen. The "be able" primarily mean "be strong" so the sense is that entering requires strength.
 

 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
3

Strive to enter in(WW) at(IW) the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in(IW), and shall not be able.

  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "in" should be something more like "by."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "at" doesn't exist in the source.
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "in" doesn't exist in the source.

 

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
5

[Make every effort](WT)(PP2) to enter through the narrow door(CW), because many, I tell you, will try(WW) to enter and will not be able to(IW).

Strive to enter in(WW) at(IW) the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in(IW), and shall not be able.

  • WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb  "see" is the present tense, but Greek is in the simple (imperfect) past. "saw."
  • PP - Inserted Phrase-- These "make every effort "  are a paraphrase of what is in the source. This is counted as 2 translation issues, not 1.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "door."
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "try" should be something more like "seek."
  • IW - Inserted Word-- The "tp" doesn't exist in the source.
EACH WORD of KJV

Strive -- "Strive" is from a Greek verb that means to "content for a prize",  "fight", "content in court", and passively, "to be decided by contest".  It is in the imperfect past, referring to something started in the past but not completed.

to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.

enter -- "Enter" is a word that means "enter," "go or come into" of an accuse "come into court," and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind."

in --  (WW) The preposition translated as "in" with the form of object here means "through,"  "over," " "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.   This word doesn't mean "in." 

at -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

strait  - The term translated as "strait" primarily means "narrow," but it is not a positive term in Greek having many negative associations including "small-minded" and "confined."

gate:  - The term translated here as "gate" means specifically one side of a double gate that served as the entry to a town or large building. It was also frequently the location of a toll booth, changing a tax for entry into a town. The term also meant special doors or gates such as those to the women's quarters or the gates of hell. These gates were a point of control and authority.

for  - The Greek word translated as "for" acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

many, -- The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

say -- The word translated as "say" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."    It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."

unto -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. - However, the verb could also be in the form of possibility, "might."

seek -- The Greek verb translated as "seek" has a variety of meanings around the idea of "searching" and "desiring." It has a sense of seeking with a specific aim. It also means to "search," "inquire into," "investigate, "require," "demand," and "examine."

to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.

enter -- "Enter" is a word that means "enter," "go or come into" of an accuse "come into court," and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind."

in, -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis.

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. A "might" or "should" could work here or nothing at all in an "if/when/whoever" clause which implies a possibility.  Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. 

be able. -- The word translated as "be able" is a verb that means "to be strong", "to be able," or "to have powerful." It is the present plural participle of verb, used as the sentence's subject.

EACH WORD of NIV

Make every effort -- (WT,PP) These words are a paraphrase of "fight" in the Greek source from a Greek verb that means to "content for a prize",  "fight", "content in court", and passively, "to be decided by contest".  It is in the imperfect past, referring to something started in the past but not completed. 

to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.

enter -- "Enter" is a word that means "enter," "go or come into" of an accuse "come into court," and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind."

through -- The preposition translated as "through" with the form of object here means "through,"  "over," " "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.   This word doesn't mean "in." 

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

narrow - The term translated as "narrow " primarily means "narrow," but it is not a positive term in Greek having many negative associations including "small-minded" and "confined."

door:  - (CW) The term translated here as "door" means specifically one side of a double gate that served as the entry to a town or large building. It was also frequently the location of a toll booth, changing a tax for entry into a town. The term also meant special doors or gates such as those to the women's quarters or the gates of hell. These gates were a point of control and authority. This is not the word usually translated as "door."

because - The Greek word translated as "because " acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

many, -- The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

tell -- The word translated as "yell" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."    It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."

you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.  However, the verb could also be in the form of possibility, "might."

try -- (WW) The Greek verb translated as "seek" has a variety of meanings around the idea of "searching" and "desiring." It has a sense of seeking with a specific aim. It also means to "search," "inquire into," "investigate, "require," "demand," and "examine." This word doesn't mean "try." 

to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.

enter -- "Enter" is a word that means "enter," "go or come into" of an accuse "come into court," and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind."

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis.

will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. A "might" or "should" could work here or nothing at all in an "if/when/whoever" clause which implies a possibility.  Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. 

be able. -- The word translated as "be able" is a verb that means "to be strong", "to be able," or "to have powerful." It is the present plural participle of verb, used as the sentence's subject.

to -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Ἀγωνίζεσθε   [2 verses](verb 2nd pl pres imperat mp) "Strive"is agonizomai, which means to "content for a prize",  "fight", "content in court", and passively, "to be decided by contest". 

εἰσελθεῖν  [68 verses](verb aor inf act) "To enter" is eiserchomai which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge," (as in court) and "to come into one's mind." -- "Enter" is a word that means "enter," "go or come into" of an accuse "come into court," and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind."

διὰ  [88 verses](prep) "Through" is dia, which means with the genitive "through," "over," " "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "for (causal)," "among," and "between." With the accusative, it can also be "thanks to," "because of,"  "by reasons of," and "for the sake of."

τῆς (article sg fem gen)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

στενῆς [3 verses](adj sg fem gen) "Strait" is stenos, which means "narrow," "narrows," "straits," "close," "confined," "scanty," "petty," "small-minded," "narrow-minded," "thin or meagre [of sound and style]," and, as an adverb "[to be] in difficulties."

πύλης: [4 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Gate" is pyle, which means "one wing of a pair of double gates," "gates of a town," "house-door," "gate or door leading to the women's apartments," "gates of the nether world," "custom-house," "entrance," "orifice," "entrance into a country through mountains," "pass," and "narrow straits."

ὅτι (adv/conj) "For" is from hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."

πολλοί, [61 verses] (adj pl masc nom) "Many"is polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long."

λέγω [264 verses] (1st sg pres ind act) "I tell"is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." When used with an object is has the sense of "call by name."  It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep." This word is more about making a statement than participating in a discussion. Translating is as "stated" might distinguish it better. When two accusative objects are used, the sense is  "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell."

ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of the pronoun of the second person in the indirect object form, "to you." As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

 ζητήσουσιν  [36 verses] (verb 3rd pl aor subj act or verb 3rd pl fut ind act) "Will seek" is zeteo, which means "inquire for," "search for," "seek after," "desire," and "feel the want of."

εἰσελθεῖν  [68 verses](verb aor inf act) "To enter in" is eiserchomai which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge," (as in court) and "to come into one's mind."

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences.  The negative, οὐ, denies, is absolute, and objective.

ἰσχύσουσιν, [8 verses](verb 3rd pl aor subj act or verb 3rd pl fut ind act) "Shall...be able" is ischyo, which means "to be strong", "to be powerful", "to prevail", "to be worth," and "to be equivalent to."

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