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:

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 command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure 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 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”^(I)

²⁷ Then Peter responded to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age,^[f](J) when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne,^(K) you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother,^[g] children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 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 but One—God.^{(H) 19} You know the commandments:

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

²¹ Then, 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 stunned^[c] at 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} But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,^(Z) how hard it is^[d] 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 So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”^(AB)

²⁷ Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men 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 “I assure you,”^(AE) Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father,^[e] children, or fields because of Me and the gospel,^{(AF) 30} who will not receive 100 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 the ones 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 12 tribes of Israel.^(D)