Matthew 19:16-30 - A Rich Young Man

¹⁶ And a man came up to Him and asked, "What is there good that I can do to possess eternal life?"

¹⁷ And He answered him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is perfectly good. But if you want to get into that life, you must practice keeping the commandments."

¹⁸ He asked Him, "What sort of commandments?" Jesus answered, "You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not lie, ¹⁹ You must practice honoring your father and mother. And you must love your neighbor as you do yourself."

²⁰ The young man said, "I have kept all these commandments; what more do I lack?"

²¹ Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back here and follow me."

²² And when the young man heard that, he went away in deep distress, for he owned a great deal of property.

²³ Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven."

²⁵ But when the disciples heard this, they were dumbfounded, and asked, "Who then can be saved!"

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, "This is impossible for men, but anything is possible for God."

²⁷ Then Peter answered Him, "We have left everything we had and followed you. What then are we to get?"

²⁸ Jesus said to them: "I solemnly say to you, in the new order of life, when the Son of Man shall take His seat on His glorious throne, you too, who have followed me, will sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has given up home or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms, for my sake, will receive many times as much, and in addition will be in possession of eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first now will be last then, and many who are last now will be first then."

¹⁷ As He was again starting on a journey, a man ran up to Him, and knelt to Him, and was asking Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"

¹⁸ And Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me perfectly good? No one is perfectly good but God Himself. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud. Practice honoring your father and mother."

²⁰ But he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these commandments ever since I was a child."

²¹ Then Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing. Go, sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back and follow me." ²² But his countenance fell at that command, and he went away in deep distress, for he owned a great deal of property.

²³ Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have money to get into the kingdom of God!" ²⁴ His disciples were startled at this statement. But Jesus again said to them as He continued the topic, "My children, how hard it is to get into the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God."

²⁶ They were perfectly dumbfounded, and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷ But Jesus looked at them and said, "This is impossible for men, but everything is possible for God."

²⁸ Then Peter started to say to Him, "We have left everything we had and followed you."

²⁹ Jesus said, "I solemnly say to you, there is no one who has given up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farm for me and for the good news, ³⁰ who will not receive now in this life a hundred times as much in houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, but along with them persecution, and in the world to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first now will be last then, and last now who will be first then."

¹⁸ Then a certain member of the council asked Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get possession of eternal life?"

¹⁹ Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me perfectly good? No one is perfectly good but God Himself. ²⁰ You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Practice honoring your father and mother.'"

²¹ But he said, "I have kept all these commandments ever since I was a child."

²² When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell everything you have, and distribute the money among the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come back and follow me."

²³ But when he heard that, he was very sad, for he was surpassingly rich.

²⁴ So when Jesus saw it, He said, "How hard it is for those who have money to get into the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God."

²⁶ But those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷ So He said, "The things impossible for men are possible for God."

²⁸ Then Peter said to Him, "We have left our very own, homes and all, and have followed you."

²⁹ So He said to them, "I solemnly say to you, there is no one who has given up home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive in return many times more in this world, and in the next eternal life."