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)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ Then^(A) an expert in the law^(B) stood up to test^(C) him, saying, “Teacher,^(D) what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ^(E)

²⁶ “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “Love the Lord your God^(F) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,”^(G) and “your neighbor as yourself.”^[a](H)

²⁸ “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”^(I)

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸ A^(A) ruler^(B) asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ^(C)

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.”^[a](D)

²¹ “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor,^(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(F) Then come, follow me.”^(G)

²³ After he heard this, he became extremely sad,^(H) because he was very rich.

Possessions and the Kingdom

²⁴ Seeing that he became sad,^[b] Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For 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.”

²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?” ^(I)

²⁷ He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”^(J)

²⁸ Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed^(K) you.”

²⁹ So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more at this time,^(L) and eternal life in the age to come.”