Mark 10:17-31

New Testament for Everyone

The rich young ruler

¹⁷ As he was setting out on the road, a man ran up and knelt down in front of him.

“Good teacher,” he asked, “what should I do to inherit the life of the age to come?”

¹⁸ “Why call me ‘good’?” replied Jesus. “No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments:

²⁰ “Teacher,” he said, “I’ve kept all of them since I was little.”

²¹ Jesus looked hard at him, and loved him.

“One more thing,” he said. “Go away, and whatever you possess—sell it, and give it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven! Then: come and follow me.”

²² At that, his face fell, and he went off sadly. He was very wealthy.

²³ Jesus looked slowly around. Then he said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were astonished at what he was saying. So Jesus repeated once more, “Children, it’s very hard to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom.”

²⁶ They were totally amazed, and said to each other, “So who then can be saved?”

²⁷ “It’s impossible for mortals,” Jesus said, looking hard at them, “but it’s not impossible for God. All things are possible for God.”

²⁸ “Look here,” Peter started up, “we’ve left everything and followed you.”

²⁹ “I’ll tell you the truth,” replied Jesus. “No one who has left a house, or brothers or sisters, or mother or father, or children, or lands, because of me and the gospel, ³⁰ will fail to receive back a hundred times more in the present age: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands—with persecutions!—and finally the life of the age to come. ³¹ But plenty of people at the front will end up at the back, and the back at the front.”