A Rich and Important Man

(Matthew 19.16-30; Mark 10.17-31)

¹⁸ An important man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?”

¹⁹ Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. ^20 (A) You know the commandments: ‘Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother.’ ”

²¹ He told Jesus, “I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”

²² When Jesus heard this, he said, “There is one thing you still need to do. Go and sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” ²³ When the man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.

²⁴ Jesus saw how sad the man was. So he said, “It's terribly hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom! ²⁵ In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”

²⁶ When the crowd heard this, they asked, “How can anyone ever be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus replied, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

²⁸ Peter said, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom ³⁰ will be given much more in this life. And in the future world they will have eternal life.”