Jesus Blesses Little Children

¹⁵ People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. ¹⁶ But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁷ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’

The Rich Ruler

¹⁸ 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 but God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother.”’ ²¹ He replied, ‘I have kept all these since my youth.’ ²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money^[a] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ ²³ But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’

²⁶ Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ²⁷ He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.’

²⁸ Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left our homes and followed you.’ ²⁹ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’