A verse, in context
Matthew 19:26, All Things Possible
"With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26) is quoted to bless big dreams and impossible goals. But Jesus says it in answer to a startled question, "Who then can be saved?", making the impossibility He overcomes our salvation, not our ambitions.
“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”Matthew 19:26
How it is often used
How it is often used. This half-verse is often lifted out as an all-purpose promise that no goal is out of reach: with God, any dream, however impossible, can come true. It appears on inspirational graphics and is offered to encourage people facing daunting odds, and there is real truth in celebrating God's power. But the popular use makes "all things" mean whatever we hope to achieve, turning the verse into fuel for wish-fulfillment. In the passage, the impossible thing Jesus is addressing is not a career milestone or a personal dream; it is entering the kingdom of God, being saved at all. The disciples are stunned that anyone can be saved, and Jesus answers that what is impossible for people, salvation itself, is possible with God. The verse magnifies God's power to save, which is greater news than the power to grant ambitions.
The passage around it
The passage around it. A rich young man has just come to Jesus asking what good thing he must do to have eternal life. Told to keep the commandments and then to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Jesus, he goes away sorrowful, "for he had great possessions" (v22). Jesus then tells His disciples, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (v24). The disciples are "exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?" (v25). It is directly to this question that Jesus replies, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (v26). The context, then, is entirely about salvation and its impossibility for human effort, whether the wealthy who trust their riches or anyone relying on their own goodness. Jesus is not encouraging ambitious dreaming; He is teaching that salvation lies beyond human power and rests wholly on God.
What it actually means, and where it leads
What it actually means, and where it leads. Jesus is declaring that the greatest impossibility of all, that sinful people, even self-sufficient ones, could be saved and enter God's kingdom, is possible with God. No one saves themselves, not by wealth, morality, or effort; salvation is God's work from start to finish. That is why the verse is such good news, far better than a promise about achieving our goals: it means the one thing we could never do for ourselves, God can do and does. It leads straight to Christ, through whom this impossible salvation is accomplished, who gave His life so that camels might pass through needles' eyes by grace. Read rightly, the verse humbles us out of self-reliance and lifts our eyes to the God who saves. "All things are possible" is not a blanket promise for our ambitions but a specific, staggering promise that God can save even those who seem farthest from His kingdom.
Questions people ask
Does "all things are possible" mean God will grant any goal?
No. In context Jesus is answering "Who then can be saved?" The impossible thing He makes possible is salvation, which lies beyond human power. It magnifies God's power to save rather than promising the fulfillment of our ambitions.
What prompted Jesus to say this?
The rich young man had just walked away unwilling to give up his wealth, and Jesus said it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom. The astonished disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" and Jesus answered that what is impossible for people is possible with God.
How is this good news if it's not about my dreams?
Because it addresses the one thing we most need and could never accomplish: being saved and entering God's kingdom. That God can do the impossible work of salvation, accomplished in Christ, is far greater news than a promise to grant our goals.