Matthew 19:16-30 - A Rich Young Man

¹⁶ And a man came up to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain Immortal life?"

¹⁷ "Why ask me about goodness?" answered Jesus. "There is but One who is good. If you want to enter the Life, keep the commandments."

¹⁸ "What commandments?" asked the man. "These," answered Jesus:-- "'Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not say what is false about others. ¹⁹ Honor thy father and thy mother.' And 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself."

²⁰ "I have observed all these," said the young man. "What is still wanting in me?"

²¹ "If you wish to be perfect," answered Jesus, "go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

²² On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions.

²³ At this, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you that a rich man will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! ²⁴ I say again, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!"

²⁵ On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment: "Who then can possibly be saved?"

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them, and said: "With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible." Then Peter turned and said to Jesus:

²⁷ "But we--we left everything, and followed you; what, then, shall we have?"

²⁸ "I tell you," answered Jesus, "that at the New Creation, 'when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,' you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ Every one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, on account of my Name, will receive many times as much, and will 'gain Immortal Life.' ³⁰ But many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.

¹⁷ And, as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to gain Immortal Life?"

¹⁸ "Why do you call me good?" answered Jesus. "No one is good but God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments--'Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not say what is false about others. Do not cheat. Honor thy father and thy mother.'"

²⁰ "Teacher," he replied, "I have observed all these from my childhood."

²¹ Jesus looked at the man, and his heart went out to him, and he said: "There is still one thing wanting in you; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall heave wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me." ²² But the man's face clouded at these words, and he went away distressed, for he had great possessions.

²³ Then Jesus looked round, and said to his disciples: "How hard it will be for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!" ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again: "My children, how hard a thing it is to enter the Kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

²⁶ "Then who can be saved?" they exclaimed in the greatest astonishment.

²⁷ Jesus looked at them, and answered: "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for everything is possible with God."

²⁸ "But we," began Peter, "we left everything and have followed you."

²⁹ "I tell you," said Jesus, "there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, on my account and on account of the Good News, ³⁰ Who will not receive a hundred times as much, even now in the present--houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though not without persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, Immortal Life. ³¹ But many who are first now will then be last, and the last will be first."

¹⁸ And one of the Presidents asked Jesus this question--"Good Teacher, what must I do if I am to gain Immortal Life?"

¹⁹ "Why do you call me good?" answered Jesus. "No one is good but God. ²⁰ You know the commandments--'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not say what is false about others, Honor thy father and thy mother.'"

²¹ "I have observed all these," he replied, "from childhood."

²² Hearing this, Jesus said to him: "There is one thing still lacking in you; sell everything that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

²³ But the man became greatly distressed on hearing this, for he was extremely rich.

²⁴ Seeing this, Jesus said to his disciples: "How hard it is for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier, indeed, for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!"

²⁶ "Then who can be saved?" asked those who heard this.

²⁷ But Jesus said: "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

²⁸ "But we," said Peter, "we left what belonged to us and followed you."

²⁹ "I tell you," he answered, "that there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, on account of the Kingdom of God, ³⁰ Who will not receive many times as much in the present, and in the age that is coming Immortal Life."