Parallel Gospels 67 - The Rich and the Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 19:16-30Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Rich Young Ruler

16 Just then someone came up and asked Him,“Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?”

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.”

18 “Which ones?” he asked Him. Jesus answered:

Do not murder;
do not commit adultery;
do not steal;
do not bear false witness;
19 honor your father and your mother;
and love your neighbor as yourself.[c]

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, 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! 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.”

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.”

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] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, 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. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Mark 10:17-31Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Rich Young Ruler

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before Him, and asked Him, “GoodTeacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. 19 You know the commandments:

Do not murder;
do not commit adultery;
do not steal;
do not bear false witness;
do not defraud;
honor your father and mother.”[a]

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

21 Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come,[b] follow Me.” 22 But he was stunned[c] at this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Possessions and the Kingdom

23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples,“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them,“Children, 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 person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”

27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

28 Peter began to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

29 “I assure you,” 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, 30 who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Luke 18:18-30Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Rich Young Ruler

18 A ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. 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]

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 that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow Me.”

23 After he heard this, he became extremely sad,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?”

27 He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

28 Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed You.”

29 So He said to them, “I assure you: There is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time, and eternal life in the age to come.”