A man asks how he inherits eternal life and Jesus says to sell his stuff and follow him but this upsets the man.
Mark 10:23 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Mark 10:23 How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
How hard to please those having these goods. Into the realm of the Divine, they will enter by themselves
The translators want Jesus to say one thing, but he actually saying something else that is much funnier. Modern Bibles especially confused the issue.
The beginning phrase means, "how hard to please!" The word translated as "hard" isn't the word meaning "hard" or "difficult." It is an adjective meaning "hard to please" and more simply "hard to satisfy with food." It matched the form of "those having goods." As an adverb, it means more "peevishly" than "hardly."
The humor is at the end of the verse, the typical last-word punchline. The verb means "enter" it is in a form, the middle voice, that means "by themselves." The sense is that they will have nothing but themselves in the realm of the Divine. No "treasure in the skies" that Jesus mentioned in the previous verse. This is why the verb comes last: it creates the punchline, changing the adjective into an adverb since the verb isn't transitive, taking an object.
This verse, however, clearly connects the "realm of the divine" with life after death. The entire discussion here is generated by a young man who asked how he could achieve "eternal life."
Must be sad entering into the Divine realm as a beggar.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common pronoun usually translated as "they."
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "that" is translated as singular but the Greek word is plural.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "have" is not an active verb but a participle, "having."
- MW -- Missing Word -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for themselves" or a "themselves" as an object.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "hard."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "it is for" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "those" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "having" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "rich."
- WF --Wrong Form - The "enter" is not an infinitive but an active verb.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for themselves" or a "themselves" as an object.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "into" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
How -- "How" is the adverb that means "how", "by any means", and "I suppose".
hardly -- "Hardly" is the keyword here. It is an adjective that means "hard to satisfy with food", "hard to please", "discontented", "fretful", "peevish," and "difficult to explain." The form could be an adverb. As an adverb, it would mean "peevishly" or "fretfully". As an adjective, when referring to people, it means "hard to please." And when referring to things, "troublesome." Here, it is most likelu an adjective, referring to the rich.
shall -- The "shall" comes from the tense of "enter", which is future.
they -- (CW) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or "those." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. The form is plural, so "those" or "the ones". Since the information is part of the verb form, this is only added for emphasis. This is not the pronoun usually translated as "they."
that -- (WN) The "that" word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. This word is not singular but plural.
have -- (WF) The word translated as "have" means to "that have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep". The form is an adjective, "having". It pairs with the article above. This word is a participle, not an active verb.
riches -- "Riches" is the noun that means "need", "goods", "property", "money", and so on. It is plural with an article so "these properties"
enter - "Enter" is a word that means "go or come into" and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind." The tense is future and the form is the subject acting on/for/by themselves.
missing "by/for themselves" -- (MW) The middle voice of the verb indicates that the subject does something to, for, or by themselves. Here the sense is "by themselves" referring to not taking their wealth.
into The word translated as "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This is from the genitive form of following article and noun.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God! -- The word translated as "of God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. It is possessive so "of the Divine".
How -- "How" is the adverb that means "how", "by any means", and "I suppose".
hard -- (CW) "Hard" is the keyword here. It is an adjective that means "hard to satisfy with food", "hard to please", "discontented", "fretful", "peevish," and "difficult to explain." The form could be an adverb. As an adverb, it would mean "peevishly" or "fretfully". As an adjective, when referring to people, it means "hard to please." And when referring to things, "troublesome." Here, it is most likely an adjective, referring to the rich. This is not the word usually translated as "hard."
it is for -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "it is for " in the Greek source.
shall -- The "shall" comes from the tense of "enter", which is future.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or "those." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. The form is plural, so "those" or "the ones". Since the information is part of the verb form, this is only added for emphasis. This is not the pronoun usually translated as "they."
missing "those" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. This word is not singular but plural.
missing "having" -- (MW) The untranslated word "have" means to "that have", "possess", "bear", "keep close", "have means to do", "to have due to one", or "keep". The form is an adjective, "having". It pairs with the article above. This word is a participle, not an active verb.
rich -- (CW) "Riches" is the noun that means "need", "goods", "property", "money", and so on. It is plural with an article so "these properties"
to -- (WF) This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English. The following verb is not an infinitive.
enter - "Enter" is a word that means "go or come into" and has the double meaning of "coming into one's mind." The tense is future and the form is the subject acting on/for/by themselves.
missing "by/for themselves" -- (MW) The middle voice of the verb indicates that the subject does something to, for, or by themselves. Here the sense is "by themselves" referring to not taking their wealth.
missing "into" -- (MW) The untranslated word "into" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
kingdom -- The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" or "realm" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will.
of -- This is from the genitive form of following article and noun.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God! -- The word translated as "of God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. It is possessive so "of the Divine".
Πῶς [36 verses](adv/conj) "How" is pos, which means "how", "how in the world", "how then", "in any way", "at all", "by any means", "in a certain way,"and "I suppose."
δυσκόλως [4 verses](adv/adj pl masc acc) "Hardly" is dyskolos, which means "hard to satisfy with food," "hard to please," "difficult to explain," "discontented," "fretful," "peevish," (of animals) "intractable," (of things) "troublesome," "harassing," and, generally, "unpleasant." Add an "-ly" to these words to create adverbs with this sense. -
οἱ [821 verses](article pl masc nom) "They that" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
τὰ [821 verses] (article pl neut nom/acc) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
χρήματα [2 verses] (noun pl neut nom/acc) "Riches" is chrema, which means "need", "goods", "property", "money", "merchandise", "substance", "thing", "matter", "affair", "a deal," and "a heap of."
ἔχοντες [181 verses]( part pl pres act masc nom ) "Have" is echo, which means "to have", "to hold", "to possess", "to keep", "to have charge of", "to have due to one", "to maintain", "to hold fast", "to bear", "to carry", "to keep close", "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "in" (a position), "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."
τὴν [821 verses] (article sg fem nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
βασιλείαν (noun sg fem nom) "The kingdom" is basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign."
τοῦ [821 verses] (article masc sg gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
θεοῦ [144 verses](noun masc sg gen) "of God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
εἰσπορεύονται: [68 verses]( verb 3rd pl fut ind mid ) "Shall enter" is from eiserchomai, which means both "to go into", "to come in", "to enter", "to enter an office", of an accuse "come into court," "to enter a charge" (as in court) and "to come into one's mind."
What comes across as a condemnation of wealth in English translation has the feel of a humorous, positive comment in the original Greek. We have to think about how a verse unfolds to those listening. Jesus's words are full of humor like this, where the meaning of the beginning changes as the saying completes itself. Unfortunately, his words are often drained of their fun in translation.