The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(B)?”(C)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(D)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(E) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a](F) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b](G)

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

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

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

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(K) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(L)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(M) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(N) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(O) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(P) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  2. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(B)

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a](C)

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,(D) and you will have treasure in heaven.(E) Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!(F) 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(G)

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”(H)

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come(I) eternal life.”(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20

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