The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁶ Just then someone came up and asked him,^(A) “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” ^(B)

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?”^[a] he said to him. “There is only one who is good.^[b] If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”^(C)

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he asked him.

Jesus answered: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness;^{(D) 19} honor your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as yourself.^[c](E)

²⁰ “I have kept all these,”^[d] the young man told him. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ “If you want to be perfect,”^[e] Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor,^(F) and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³ Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.^{(G) 24} Again I tell you, 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.”^(H)

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?”

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

²⁷ Then Peter responded to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things,^(J) when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,^(K) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother^[f] or children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life.^{(L) 30} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.^(M)

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁷ As^(A) he was setting out on a journey,^(B) a man ran up, knelt down^(C) before him, and asked him, “Good^(D) teacher,^(E) what must I do to inherit^(F) eternal life?” ^(G)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.^{(H) 19} You know the commandments: Do not murder;^(I) do not commit adultery;^(J) do not steal;^(K) do not bear false witness;^(L) do not defraud;^(M) honor^(N) your father and mother.”^[a](O)

²⁰ He said to him, “Teacher,^(P) I have kept all these from my youth.”

²¹ Looking at him, Jesus loved him^(Q) and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,^(R) and you will have treasure^(S) in heaven.^(T) Then come,^[b] follow me.”^{(U) 22} But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving,^(V) because he had many possessions.^(W)

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth^(X) to enter the kingdom of God!”^(Y)

²⁴ The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,^(Z) how hard it is^[c] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich^(AA) person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” ^(AB)

²⁷ Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible,^(AC) but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter^(AD) began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,”^(AE) Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father^[d] or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel,^{(AF) 30} who will not receive a hundred times^(AG) more, now at this time^(AH) —houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions^(AI) —and eternal life^(AJ) in the age to come.^{(AK) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(AL)

²⁸ You are those who stood by me in my trials.^{(A) 29} I bestow on you a kingdom,^(B) just as my Father bestowed one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.^(C) And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^(D)