The Rich Young Man

Just then, a young man came to Jesus. The young man was a Jewish leader, and he was rich. He asked, “Good Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Jesus, replied, “Why call Me good, and why ask Me about what is good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus then answered the man’s question. “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man asked.

Jesus answered, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Teacher,” the man replied, “all these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said, “You still lack one thing. If you want to be perfect, go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”

But when the young man heard this, he became very sad and walked away, because he was extremely wealthy.

Seeing this, Jesus turned and said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you; it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were amazed at His words.

But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

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

Jesus looked at them and said, “With people this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left home or brothers or sisters or father or mother or spouse or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel; for the sake of the kingdom of God, will receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

See Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30; Exodus 20:12-16; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 5:16-20; 

Notes: 

1. “Good Teacher” / “good thing”: In the Gospel of Matthew, “good thing” is recorded. And in the Gospel of Mark and Luke, “Good Teacher” is recorded. The above account is a combining of the three accounts.

2. “the renewal of all things”: Greek, palingenesia, meaning “new birth,” “renovation,” “renewal.”