A Rich Man Comes to Jesus^(A)

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus.^[a] “Teacher,”^[b] he asked, “what good deed should I do to have eternal life?”

¹⁷ Jesus^[c] asked him, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.^[d] If you want to get into that life, you must keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ The young man^[e] asked him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You must not murder,^[f] you must not commit adultery,^[g] you must not steal,^[h] you must not give false testimony,^{[i] 19} honor your father and mother,’^[j] and, ‘you must love your neighbor as yourself.’”^[k]

²⁰ The young man told him, “I have kept all of these.^[l] What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money^[m] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” ²² But when the young man heard this statement he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

Salvation and Reward^(B)

²³ Then Jesus told his disciples, “I tell all of you^[n] with certainty, it will be hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom from^[o] heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”

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

²⁶ Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

²⁷ “Look!” Peter replied. “We have left everything and followed you. So what will we get?”

²⁸ Jesus told them, “I tell all of you^[p] with certainty, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the renewed creation, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, governing the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much^[q] and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

A Rich Man Comes to Jesus^(A)

¹⁸ Then an official asked Jesus,^[a] “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Nobody is good except for one—God. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘Never commit adultery.^[b] Never murder.^[c] Never steal.^[d] Never give false testimony.^[e] Honor your father and mother.’”^[f]

²¹ The official^[g] replied, “I have kept all of these since I was a young man.”

²² When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still need to do one thing. Sell everything you have and give the money^[h] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” ²³ But when the official^[i] heard this he became sad, because he was very rich.

Salvation and Reward^(B)

²⁴ So when Jesus saw how sad he was, he^[j] said, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ Those who were listening to Jesus^[k] asked, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus^[l] replied, “The things that are impossible for people are possible for God.”

²⁸ Then Peter said, “See, we have left everything we have and followed you.”

²⁹ Jesus^[m] told them, “I tell all of you^[n] with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God ³⁰ who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come.”