The Narrow Gate and the Broad Way: A Koine and Classical Greek Comparison of Matthew 7:13

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious the road that leads to destruction, and many are those entering through it.

Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Analysis

Εἰσέλθατε — Aorist active imperative, 2nd person plural of εἰσέρχομαι: “Enter!” Command form stressing decisive action.
διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης — Preposition διὰ with genitive: “through the narrow gate.” στενῆς is genitive feminine singular adjective modifying πύλης.
ὅτι — Conjunction meaning “for” or “because,” introducing the reason or explanation for the imperative.
πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη — Predicate adjective πλατεῖα (“broad”) placed before the subject ἡ πύλη for emphasis.
εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς — Likewise, εὐρύχωρος (“spacious”) precedes ἡ ὁδός (“the road”). The two descriptors form a parallel with the previous phrase.
ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν — Articular present active participle from ἀπάγω: “leading away to destruction.” The participle modifies ὁδός.
καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι’ αὐτῆς — “And many are the ones entering through it.” εἰσιν is present indicative. οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι is a substantival present participle: “those who are entering.” δι’ αὐτῆς = “through it,” referring back to the wide gate or broad road.

Command with aorist imperative (εἰσέλθατε) — Classical Greek also uses the aorist imperative for single, decisive actions. However, in moral exhortations, Classical authors might favor the present imperative for repeated action unless immediacy is emphasized.
στενὴ πύλη vs. πλατεῖα πύλη — Such stark metaphorical contrasts (narrow vs. wide) are more common in Koine ethical teaching. Classical Greek might avoid over-simplified dichotomies in favor of nuanced arguments or analogies.
εὐρύχωρος ὁδός — Literal in Classical usage (e.g., describing open terrain), but used metaphorically here in Koine for spiritual direction. The shift from literal to moral metaphor is typical of Koine gospel rhetoric.
ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς ἀπώλειαν — Classical Greek might phrase this differently, such as ὁδὸς ἐπὶ ἀπώλειαν ἄγουσα, favoring participle order and clause variation. The use of ἀπώλεια in a theological sense (“eternal destruction”) is also a Koine development.
Substantival participle οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι — Common in both Classical and Koine, but in Koine it becomes more central to rhetorical constructions, especially in moral teaching.

Binary moral metaphors — Koine often emphasizes contrasting paths (life vs. destruction), while Classical ethics tend to explore the gray in between (e.g., deliberation between goods).
Metaphor of journey — The road imagery (ὁδός) is frequent in both Classical and Koine literature, but in the New Testament it acquires strong eschatological meaning.
Personification of choice — The idea that many enter the broad path is a personified image of moral failure. Classical Greek would likely frame this in terms of reasoned misjudgment or failure of education, not mass moral movement.
Urgency and clarity — Koine favors direct imperatives and memorable contrasts for oral instruction. Classical prose prefers hypotaxis, variation, and subtlety.

Koine Usage	Classical Usage	Observations
Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης	εἴσελθε διὰ πυλῆς χαλεπῆς (rare)	Koine imperative is moral; Classical prefers rhetorical questions or reasoned appeal.
πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη, εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδός	Literal terrain descriptors	Koine applies spatial imagery metaphorically; Classical tends to keep literal sense unless poetic.
ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς ἀπώλειαν	ὁδὸς ἐπ’ ἀπώλειαν ἄγουσα or ἄγουσα πρὸς ὄλεθρον	Classical might favor participial variation and different terms for ruin.
πολλοὶ εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι	πολλοὶ εἰσπορευόμενοι or finite verb with clause	Koine makes extensive use of substantival participles for moral emphasis.
Direct antithesis (narrow vs. wide)	Gradual scales or hypothetical argument	Koine is more binary in moral expression; Classical prefers dialectic nuance.