Matthew 19:16–26

The Rich Young Man

¹⁶Once a man came to Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?”

¹⁷“Why do you ask me concerning what is good?” answered Jesus. “There is only One who is good. Keep the commandments if you want to enter life.”

^18*“What commandments?” he asked.

Jesus answered, “Do not commit murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; ^19*respect your father and your mother; and love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

²⁰“I have obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else do I need to do?”

²¹Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.”

²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich.

²³Jesus then said to his disciples, “I assure you: it will be very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of heaven. ²⁴I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”

²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were completely amazed. “Who, then, can be saved?” they asked.

²⁶Jesus looked straight at them and answered, “This is impossible for human beings, but for God everything is possible.”