LUK 18:18-30

The Rich Young Ruler

18And a ruler questioned him, saying, "Good Teacher, what having done will I inherit eternal life?"

19Jesus said to him: "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except one — God."

20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother.'"

21And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth."

22Having heard these things, Jesus said to him: "Yet one thing to you is lacking: all as much as you have, do sell and do distribute to the destitute, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come, do follow Me, do follow Me."

23And having heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was rich exceedingly.

24Having seen him, Jesus said: "How with difficulty do those having riches enter into the kingdom of God!"

25For it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

26Then those having heard said, "And who is able to be saved?"

27But He said: "The things impossible with men are possible with God."

28Then Peter said, "Behold, we ourselves having abandoned our own things followed You."

29And He said to them: "Truly I say to you that there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

30who will not receive back manifold in this appointed time, and in the age to come, eternal life."

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Judea, wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favor, and the rich were assumed to be righteous due to their ability to fulfill Torah obligations like almsgiving. The (ruler) approaching Jesus likely held a position of honor in his community, possibly a synagogue leader or local magistrate, and his question about inheriting eternal life reflects a common Jewish concern for securing a place in the age to come. Jesus’ response challenges this assumption by equating goodness solely with God, undermining any human claim to righteousness. The commandments Jesus cites are from the Decalogue, emphasizing social and familial obligations central to Jewish ethics. The ruler’s claim to have kept these since youth would have been seen as commendable, but Jesus’ demand to sell all and give to the (destitute) disrupts the honor-shame economy, where wealth signaled status. The idea of treasure in heaven contrasts with earthly wealth, suggesting a reversal of values. The disciples’ astonishment reflects the widespread belief that wealth was a blessing, making Jesus’ statement about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom shocking.

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How other translations render this

LUK 18:18

KJV: And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
BSB: Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Koinōnos: And a ruler questioned him, saying, "Good Teacher, what having done will I inherit eternal life?

LUK 18:19

KJV: And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
BSB: “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
Koinōnos: Jesus said to him: "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except one — God.

LUK 18:20

KJV: Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
BSB: You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”
Koinōnos: You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother.'

LUK 18:21

KJV: And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
BSB: “All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.
Koinōnos: And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth.

LUK 18:22

KJV: Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
BSB: On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Koinōnos: Having heard these things, Jesus said to him: "Yet one thing to you is lacking: all as much as you have, do sell and do distribute to the destitute, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come, do follow Me, do follow Me.

LUK 18:23

KJV: And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
BSB: But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
Koinōnos: And having heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was rich exceedingly.

LUK 18:24

KJV: And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
BSB: Seeing the manʼs sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
Koinōnos: Having seen him, Jesus said: "How with difficulty do those having riches enter into the kingdom of God!

LUK 18:25

KJV: For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
BSB: Indeed, 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.”
Koinōnos: For it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

LUK 18:26

KJV: And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
BSB: Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Koinōnos: Then those having heard said, "And who is able to be saved?

LUK 18:27

KJV: And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
BSB: But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Koinōnos: But He said: "The things impossible with men are possible with God.

LUK 18:28

KJV: Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
BSB: “Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”
Koinōnos: Then Peter said, "Behold, we ourselves having abandoned our own things followed You.

LUK 18:29

KJV: And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
BSB: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
Koinōnos: And He said to them: "Truly I say to you that there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

LUK 18:30

KJV: Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
BSB: will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Koinōnos: who will not receive back manifold in this appointed time, and in the age to come, eternal life.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 18:18

ruler:The word translated 'ruler' here refers to a person holding a position of authority, often a magistrate or a chief official, indicating a person of significant social standing and power.

LUK 18:22

do distribute:The word translated 'poor' here meant a destitute beggar — someone utterly dependent on alms — not the working poor or those who are simply financially struggling.

LUK 18:24

saying;:The word translated 'saying' is part of a phrase that literally means 'with difficulty,' emphasizing the extreme challenge or impossibility of the action being described.

LUK 18:30

time:The word translated 'time' here refers not just to chronological time, but to a specific, opportune, or appointed moment, often with a sense of divine timing or a critical juncture.