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The Rich Man

18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’[a]

21 The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

24 When Jesus saw this,[b] he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

28 Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”

29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

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Footnotes

  1. 18:20 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.
  2. 18:24 Some manuscripts read When Jesus saw how sad the man was.

18 Now kai a certain tis ruler archōn asked eperōtaō him autos, saying legō, “ Good agathos Teacher didaskalos, what tis must I do poieō to inherit klēronomeō eternal aiōnios life zōē?” 19 And de Jesus Iēsous said legō to him autos, · ho Why tis do you call legō me egō good agathos? No oudeis one is good agathos except ei mē one heis · ho God theos. 20 You know oida the ho commandments entolē: ‘ You shall not commit moicheuō adultery ; You shall not murder phoneuō; You shall not steal kleptō; You shall not bear pseudomartyreō false witness ; Honor timaō · ho your sy father patēr and kai · ho mother mētēr.’ 21 The ho · de man replied legō, “ All pas these houtos I have kept phylassō since ek my youth neotēs.” 22 Upon hearing akouō this, · de · ho Jesus Iēsous said legō to him autos, “ One heis thing you sy still eti lack leipō: sell pōleō all pas that hosos you have echō and kai distribute diadidōmi the proceeds to the poor ptōchos, and kai you will have echō treasure thēsauros in en · ho heaven ouranos. Then kai come deuro, follow akoloutheō me egō.” 23 But de when he ho heard akouō this houtos, he became ginomai very perilypos sad , for gar he was eimi extremely sphodra wealthy plousios. 24 Jesus Iēsous looked at · de him autos, · ho becoming ginomai very perilypos sad , and said legō, “ How pōs difficult dyskolōs it is for those ho who have echō · ho wealth chrēma to enter eisporeuomai the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos! 25 In fact gar, it is eimi easier eukopos for a camel kamēlos to go eiserchomai through dia the eye trēma of a needle belonē than ē for a rich plousios man to enter eiserchomai the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos!” 26 Those ho who heard akouō it said legō, · de Who tis, then kai, can dynamai be saved sōzō?” 27 Jesus ho · de said legō, “ What ho is impossible adynatos for para mortal anthrōpos beings is eimi possible dynatos for para · ho God theos.” 28 Then de Peter Petros said legō, · ho Look idou, we hēmeis have left aphiēmi what ho was ours idios and followed akoloutheō you sy.” 29 Then de Jesus ho said legō to them autos, “ I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, there is eimi no oudeis one who hos has left aphiēmi home oikia or ē wife gynē or ē siblings adelphos or ē parents goneus or ē children teknon, for the sake of the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos 30 who hos will not ouchi mē receive apolambanō many pollaplasiōn times as much in en · ho this houtos age kairos and kai, in en the ho age aiōn to ho come erchomai, eternal aiōnios life zōē.”

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