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20 [a]The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 21 (A)Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect,[b] go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

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Footnotes

  1. 19:20 Young man: in Matthew alone of the synoptics the questioner is said to be a young man; thus the Marcan “from my youth” (Mk 10:20) is omitted.
  2. 19:21 If you wish to be perfect: to be perfect is demanded of all Christians; see Mt 5:48. In the case of this man, it involves selling his possessions and giving to the poor; only so can he follow Jesus.

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(A) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(B) and you will have treasure in heaven.(C) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

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