The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(B)?”(C)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(D)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(E) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a](F) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b](G)

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(H) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(I) and you will have treasure in heaven.(J) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(K) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, 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.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(L)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(M) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(N) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(O) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(P) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  2. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.

The Rich Young Man

16 Now[a] someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?”[b] 17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,[c] and love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] 20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed[e] all these laws.[f] What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money[g] to the poor, and you will have treasure[h] in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.[i]

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth,[j] it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 Again I say,[k] it is easier for a camel[l] to go through the eye of a needle[m] than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 25 The[n] disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?”[o] 26 Jesus[p] looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans,[q] but for God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said[r] to him, “Look,[s] we have left everything to follow you![t] What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus[u] said to them, “I tell you the truth:[v] In the age when all things are renewed,[w] when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging[x] the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much[y] and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:16 tn Grk “And behold one came.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  2. Matthew 19:16 sn Here the questioner asks how to gain eternal life. In several places Matthew uses “life” or “eternal life” in proximity with “the kingdom of heaven” or merely “the kingdom,” suggesting a close relationship between the two concepts (compare Matt 25:34 with v. 46; Matt 19:16, 17, 29 with vv. 23, 24). Matthew consistently portrays “eternal life” as something a person enters in the world to come, whereas the Gospel of John sees “eternal life” as beginning in the present and continuing into the future (cf. John 5:24).
  3. Matthew 19:19 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.
  4. Matthew 19:19 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
  5. Matthew 19:20 tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.
  6. Matthew 19:20 tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command—to give away all he had—revealed that internally he loved money more than God.
  7. Matthew 19:21 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  8. Matthew 19:21 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
  9. Matthew 19:22 tn Grk “he had many possessions.” This term (κτῆμα, ktēma) is often used for land as a possession.
  10. Matthew 19:23 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  11. Matthew 19:24 tn Grk “I say to you.”
  12. Matthew 19:24 tc A few, mostly late, witnesses (579 1424 al arm Cyr) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamēlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.
  13. Matthew 19:24 sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (Although the story of a small gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” has been widely circulated and may go back as far as the middle ages, there is no evidence that such a gate ever existed.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.
  14. Matthew 19:25 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  15. Matthew 19:25 sn The assumption is that the rich are blessed, so if they risk exclusion, who is left to be saved?
  16. Matthew 19:26 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  17. Matthew 19:26 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anthrōpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men, but for God all things are possible”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” in v. 28.
  18. Matthew 19:27 tn Grk “Then answering, Peter said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
  19. Matthew 19:27 sn Peter wants reassurance that the disciples’ response and sacrifice have been noticed.
  20. Matthew 19:27 tn Grk “We have left everything and followed you.” Koine Greek often used paratactic structure when hypotactic was implied.
  21. Matthew 19:28 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  22. Matthew 19:28 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  23. Matthew 19:28 sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).
  24. Matthew 19:28 sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.
  25. Matthew 19:29 sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (a hundred times as much) and (2) eternal life will be given.