SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 7:14

7:14a

But: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts begin this verse with a word that functions as an exclamation. For example:

How narrow the gate (New American Bible)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts begin this verse with the conjunction that means “For/because.” For example:

For the gate is narrow (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)

The Berean Standard Bible, along with most English versions, do not follow option (2), but neither do they clearly translate option (1). Instead, they make explicit the contrast between 7:13 and 7:14 by beginning this verse with But. It is recommended that you also indicate the contrast between these two verses.

On the other hand, here is one way to indicate both the Greek exclamation and the contrast:

But very narrow is the gate
-or-
But the gate is really narrow

small is the gate: In the Greek, the word small is the same as “narrow” in 7:13a. You should translate it here as you did there. For example:

the gate is narrow
-or-
the entrance is small

narrow the way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as narrow refers to something being pressed/squeezed from both sides. This way/path is the opposite of the “wide/easy” path in 7:13b. You should translate it in a way that contrasts with “the way is easy.” For example:

the road is narrow (New Century Version)
-or-
The road that leads there is so hard to follow (Contemporary English Version)

that leads to life: The word life refers to eternal life. In some languages a literal translation would refer only to life on earth. If that is true in your language, you may want to add some implied meaning. For example:

eternal⌋ life
-or-
life ⌊that never ends
-or-
life ⌊in heaven

Both the narrow gate and the narrow road lead to life. It is not only the narrow road. One way to make this clear is:

But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow (Contemporary English Version)

7:14b

only a few find it: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as find includes the meanings: “find from searching,” “find accidentally,” and “obtain, secure, or receive” Here it probably refers to finding after searching.

The pronoun it could refer to the gate, the path, or life. Because this clause is parallel to “enter through it” in 7:13c, this pronoun probably refers to the narrow gate. One way to translate this clause is:

few people find that gate

In some languages, the word find may not also imply entering. If that is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information. For example:

only a few people find it ⌊and enter

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

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