Matthew 19:24 (KJV)

What does Matthew 19:24 mean?

Matthew 19:24 says that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. This is a vivid way of saying that it is extremely difficult for someone who is wealthy to become part of God’s kingdom.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to his disciples after a rich young man has just walked away, unwilling to give up his wealth to follow Jesus. Jesus uses an exaggerated image—a camel, the largest common animal in the region, trying to squeeze through the tiny opening of a needle—to show just how hard it is for those attached to riches to fully submit to God’s ways.

The Greek behind Matthew 19:24

• "κάμηλος" (kamelos, "camel"): This word refers to the large animal, which makes the image especially striking and memorable. Some have speculated about alternate meanings, but the plain sense is a literal camel.
• "τρῆμα" (trēma, "eye"): This word means the hole or opening, specifically the small part of a needle, emphasizing the impossibility of the situation.
• "ῥαφίς" (rhaphis, "needle"): This is the ordinary word for a sewing needle, not a gate or anything larger, so the image is meant to be extreme.
• "εὐκοπώτερον" (eukopōteron, "easier"): This word compares the two situations, stressing that the camel-through-the-needle is actually the easier task compared to a rich person entering God’s kingdom.

Why Matthew 19:24 matters

• Matthew 19:24 clears up any idea that wealth itself guarantees favor with God; instead, it highlights the spiritual dangers that can come with riches.
• The verse emphasizes Jesus’ teaching that entering God’s kingdom requires a willingness to let go of anything that stands in the way, including wealth.
• This statement sets up the disciples’ next question about who can be saved, leading to Jesus’ teaching that what is impossible for people is possible with God.