Matius 13:22

13:22 The ¹  seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth ²  choke the word, ³  so it produces nothing.

Matius 19:22-24

19:22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. ⁴ 

19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, ⁵  it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 19:24 Again I say, ⁶  it is easier for a camel ⁷  to go through the eye of a needle ⁸  than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”

[13:22]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[13:22]  ² tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”

[13:22]  ³ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.

[19:22]  ⁴ tn Grk “he had many possessions.” This term (κτῆμα, kthma) is often used for land as a possession.

[19:23]  ⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[19:24]  ⁶ tn Grk “I say to you.”

[19:24]  ⁷ tc A few late witnesses (579 1424 pc) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamhlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.

[19:24]  ⁸ sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.