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OET (OET-RV) When his apprentices heard that, they were very surprised and asked, “Well, who can be saved then?”![]()
OET-LV And the apprentices/followers having_heard, were_being_ exceedingly _astonished saying:
Who consequently is_able to_be_saved?
![]()
SR-GNT Ἀκούσαντες δὲ, οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες, “Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι;” ‡
(Akousantes de, hoi mathaʸtai exeplaʸssonto sfodra legontes, “Tis ara dunatai sōthaʸnai;”)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT Now, having heard this, the disciples were very astonished, saying, “Then who is able to be saved?”
UST What Jesus said greatly surprised the apprentices. They said, “So then, it must be that God does not actually rescue anyone!”
BSB When the disciples heard this, {they were} greatly astonished [and] asked, “Who then can be saved?”
MSB When His disciples[fn] heard this, {they were} greatly astonished [and] asked, “Who then can be saved?”
19:25 CT the disciples
BLB And the disciples having heard were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then is able to be saved?"
AICNT When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
OEB On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment, ‘Who then can possibly be saved?’
WEBBE When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
WMBB (Same as above)
NET The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?”
LSV And His disciples having heard, were exceedingly amazed, saying, “Who, then, is able to be saved?”
FBV When the disciples heard this, they were very surprised, and asked, “So who can be saved?”
TCNT When [fn]his disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?”
19:25 his ¦ the CT
T4T When we disciples heard this, we were astounded. We thought that rich people were the ones whom God blesses the most. So we said to him, “◄If that is so, it does not seem likely that anyone will be saved!/Who then will God will save?►” [RHQ]
LEB So when[fn] the disciples heard this,[fn] they were extremely amazed, saying, “Then who can be saved?”
19:25 *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
19:25 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
BBE And the disciples, hearing this, were greatly surprised, saying, Who then may have salvation?
Moff When the disciples heard this they were utterly astounded; they said, "Who then can possibly be saved?"
Wymth These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked, "Who then can be saved?"
ASV And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved?
DRA And when they had heard this, the disciples wondered very much, saying: Who then can be saved?
YLT And his disciples having heard, were amazed exceedingly, saying, 'Who, then, is able to be saved?'
Drby And when the disciples heard [it] they were exceedingly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved?
RV And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved?
SLT And his disciples were greatly struck with amazement, saying, Who then can be saved?
Wbstr When his disciples heard it , they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
KJB-1769 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
KJB-1611 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saued?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)
Bshps When the disciples hearde this, they were exceadyngly amazed, saying: who then can be saued?
(When the disciples heard this, they were exceedingly amazed, saying: who then can be saved?)
Gnva And whe his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amased, saying, Who then can be saued?
(And when his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? )
Cvdl Whan his disciples herde that, they were exceadingly amased, and sayde: Who can the be saued?
(When his disciples heard that, they were exceedingly amazed, and said: Who can the be saved?)
TNT When his disciples hearde that they were excedingly amased sayinge: who then can be saved?
(When his disciples heard that they were exceedingly amazed saying: who then can be saved? )
Wycl Whanne these thingis weren herd, the disciplis wondriden greetli, and seiden, Who thanne may be saaf?
(When these things were herd, the disciples wondered greatly, and said, Who then may be safe?)
Luth Da das seine Jünger höreten, entsetzten sie sich sehr und sprachen: Je, wer kann denn selig werden?
(So the his disciple heard, horrified they/she/them itself/yourself/themselves very and said: Ye, who can because/than blessed become?)
ClVg Auditis autem his, discipuli mirabantur valde, dicentes: Quis ergo poterit salvus esse?[fn]
(Listentis however his, students they_were_surprised very_much, saying: Who therefore will_be_able safe esse? )
19.25 Mirabantur. Quia in numero divitum deputabant omnes qui amant divitias, etsi non habeant. Aliter enim cum sit major turba pauperum, non dicerent: Quis poterit salvus esse?
19.25 Mirabantur. Because in/into/on number rich deputabant everyone who/which amant riches, even_though not/no let_them_have. Aliter because when/with be major/greater crowd of_the_poor, not/no they_would_say: Who will_be_able safe esse?
UGNT ἀκούσαντες δὲ, οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες, τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι?
(akousantes de, hoi mathaʸtai exeplaʸssonto sfodra legontes, tis ara dunatai sōthaʸnai?)
SBL-GNT ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ⸀μαθηταὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες· Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι;
(akousantes de hoi ⸀mathaʸtai exeplaʸssonto sfodra legontes; Tis ara dunatai sōthaʸnai;)
RP-GNT Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα, λέγοντες, Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι;
(Akousantes de hoi mathaʸtai autou exeplaʸssonto sfodra, legontes, Tis ara dunatai sōthaʸnai;)
TC-GNT Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ [fn]αὐτοῦ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα, λέγοντες, Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι;
(Akousantes de hoi mathaʸtai autou exeplaʸssonto sfodra, legontes, Tis ara dunatai sōthaʸnai; )
19:25 αυτου ¦ — CT
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
In this section, a young man asked Jesus what he must do to get eternal life. Jesus gave him a standard answer, which was to obey God’s commands.
The young man apparently felt that this was not enough and asked what else he should do (19:20). Then Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. The young man was rich, and he was not willing to sell his things. So he left.
Jesus then used the rich young man as an example. He explained that riches make it difficult to enter the kingdom (19:23–24). The saying of a camel going through the eye of a needle was probably a well-known proverb about something impossible to do. Without God making it possible, neither a rich person nor anyone else is able to enter the kingdom (19:26).
Jesus also gave a promise that those whom he asked to leave their possessions and family behind to serve him would receive great rewards (19:29).
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
The Rich Young Man (NIV)
A rich young man’s questions
There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 10:17–31 and Luke 18:18–30.
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished
When the disciples heard this, they were very amazed.
The disciples heard that and were completely surprised.
When the disciples heard this: The word this refers to Jesus’ words of 19:23–24.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Hearing these/those words, the disciples
The disciples heard that and
they were greatly astonished: The Greek word that the BSB translates as astonished means “amazed to the point of being overwhelmed.” In this context it is made even stronger by the word that the BSB translates as greatly.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
they were completely amazed (GNT)
they were greatly surprised (CEV)
The Jews of that time thought that riches were an extra blessing from God. So the disciples were surprised that Jesus taught that riches made it hard for someone to enter the kingdom of God.
and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
They said, “In that case, who is able to be saved?”
They said to him, “What!? Then will anyone get/receive salvation from punishment?”
They said to Jesus, “What!? Then no one can be saved!”
Who then can be saved?: This is a rhetorical question. It has two functions: surprise and emphasis. The disciples used this question to express how surprised/astonished they were at Jesus’ comment in 19:26a. And Jesus’ response in 19:26b–c shows that he understood the disciples to emphatically imply “Then no one can be saved!”
Here are some other ways to translate this surprise and emphasis:
As one or two rhetorical questions. For example:
Then who in the world can be saved? (NLT)
What!? Then can anyone be saved?
As an expression of surprise followed by an emphatic statement. For example:
What!? Then no one can be saved!
As an emphatic statement. For example:
Then no one can be saved!
Translate this surprise and emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
Who…can be saved: The word saved means “rescued from danger or trouble.” In this context, it refers to being saved from punishment and destruction. It means the same as “enter the kingdom of heaven/God” in 19:23–24 and “obtain eternal life” in 19:16b.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Who…can be saved from punishment?
Who…can enter the kingdom of God?
Who…can get eternal life?
This is a passive clause. Here are some other ways to translate it:
Use a passive verb. For example:
Who…can be saved?
Use an active verb. For example:
Who…are the people who will get/receive salvation?
Who…can enter the kingdom?
See how you translated the word saved in 1:21c and 10:22b.
then: The Greek word that the BSB translates as then introduces a conclusion based on what Jesus just said. Here it is not a time word.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
In that case
If that’s true
If it’s like that
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀκούσαντες Δέ οἱ μαθηταί ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι)
The word Now introduces the next thing that happened. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the next event, or you could leave Now untranslated. Alternate translation: [Then]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἀκούσαντες & οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες
˓having˒_heard & the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀκούσαντες Δέ οἱ μαθηταί ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was what Jesus said. Alternate translation: [what the disciples heard astonished them greatly, and they said]
Note 3 topic: writing-quotations
λέγοντες
saying
Consider natural ways of introducing direct quotations in your language. Alternate translation: [and they said]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀκούσαντες Δέ οἱ μαθηταί ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι)
The disciples are using the question form to express their astonishment. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [It seems then that no one is able to be saved.] or [No one then is able to be saved!]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀκούσαντες Δέ οἱ μαθηταί ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who would do the action, it is clear from the context that it would be God. Alternate translation: [Who then can receive salvation] or [Whom then will God save]
Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
τίς ἄρα
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀκούσαντες Δέ οἱ μαθηταί ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες Τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι)
The word then indicates that the disciples ask this question in response to what Jesus just said. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [If that is true, who] or [Given that, who]