Matthew 19:16-30 - A Rich Young Man

¹⁶ Now someone came up to him and said, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?"

¹⁷ He said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

¹⁸ "Which ones?" he asked. Jesus replied, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself."

²⁰ The young man said to him, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?"

²¹ Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

²² But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! ²⁴ Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God."

²⁵ The disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and replied, "This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible."

²⁷ Then Peter said to him, "Look, we have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

²⁸ Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth: In the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

¹⁷ Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁸ Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

²⁰ The man said to him, "Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth."

²¹ As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, "You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ²² But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.

²³ Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" ²⁴ The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁶ They were even more astonished and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and replied, "This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God."

²⁸ Peter began to speak to him, "Look, we have left everything to follow you!"

²⁹ Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel ³⁰ who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much -- homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

¹⁸ Now a certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁹ Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"

²¹ The man replied, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth."

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

²³ But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.

²⁴ When Jesus noticed this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁶ Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷ He replied, "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God."

²⁸ And Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we own to follow you!"

²⁹ Then Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of God's kingdom ³⁰ who will not receive many times more in this age -- and in the age to come, eternal life."