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18 A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20

21 He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”

22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

24 Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! 25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

27 But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

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

29 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”

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The Rich Young Ruler

18 A(A) ruler(B) asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (C)

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.[a](D)

21 “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor,(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.(F) Then come, follow me.”(G)

23 After he heard this, he became extremely sad,(H) because he was very rich.

Possessions and the Kingdom

24 Seeing that he became sad,[b] Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For 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 asked, “Then who can be saved?” (I)

27 He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(J)

28 Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed(K) you.”

29 So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time,(L) and eternal life in the age to come.”

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Footnotes

  1. 18:20 Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20
  2. 18:24 Other mss omit he became sad