MRK 10:17-31

The Rich Young Man

17As he was going out on the road, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him: Good teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life? [10:18] Jesus said to him: Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [10:19] 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. [10:20] He said to him: Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. [10:21] Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him: One thing you lack — go, sell as many things as you have and give to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. [10:22] But he was gloomy over this word and went away grieving, for he was one who had many possessions. [10:23] Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples: How difficultly will those who have wealth enter into the kingdom of God! [10:24] The disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said to them: Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God. [10:25] It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God. [10:26] They were exceedingly astonished, saying to one another: And who can be saved? [10:27] Looking at them, Jesus said: With men it is impossible, but not with God — for all things are possible with God. [10:28] Peter began to say to him: Look, we have left all things and followed you. [10:29] Jesus said: Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the gospel's sake [10:30] who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions — and in the coming age, eternal life. [10:31] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts, wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favor or moral virtue. The rich young man’s question about inheriting eternal life reflects this assumption, as well as the Jewish belief in the importance of Torah observance for securing a place in the age to come. His address to Jesus as 'Good Teacher' carries weight, as in Greek thought denotes moral excellence, often reserved for gods or divine figures. Jesus’ response redirects this honor to God alone, emphasizing divine sovereignty. The commandments Jesus cites are foundational to Jewish ethical life, focusing on interpersonal and societal integrity. The young man’s claim to have kept these from his youth aligns with the Pharisaic emphasis on meticulous Torah observance. Jesus’ command to sell possessions and give to the (destitute beggars) challenges the honor-shame economy, where wealth conferred status. The disciples’ astonishment reflects the cultural assumption that wealth was a blessing, making Jesus’ statement about the (difficulty) of the rich entering the kingdom countercultural.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

MRK 10:17

KJV: And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
BSB: As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Koinōnos: As he was going out on the road, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him: Good teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?

MRK 10:18

KJV: And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but 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 God alone.

MRK 10:19

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

MRK 10:20

KJV: And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
BSB: “Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”
Koinōnos: He said to him: Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.

MRK 10:21

KJV: Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
BSB: Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Koinōnos: Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him: One thing you lack — go, sell as many things as you have and give to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

MRK 10:22

KJV: And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
BSB: But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
Koinōnos: But he was gloomy over this word and went away grieving, for he was one who had many possessions.

MRK 10:23

KJV: And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
BSB: Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Koinōnos: Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples: How difficultly will those who have wealth enter into the kingdom of God!

MRK 10:24

KJV: And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
BSB: 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!
Koinōnos: The disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said to them: Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God.

MRK 10:25

KJV: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
BSB: 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: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.

MRK 10:26

KJV: And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
BSB: They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
Koinōnos: They were exceedingly astonished, saying to one another: And who can be saved?

MRK 10:27

KJV: And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
BSB: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Koinōnos: Looking at them, Jesus said: With men it is impossible, but not with God — for all things are possible with God.

MRK 10:28

KJV: Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
BSB: Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
Koinōnos: Peter began to say to him: Look, we have left all things and followed you.

MRK 10:29

KJV: And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
BSB: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel
Koinōnos: Jesus said: Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the gospel's sake

MRK 10:30

KJV: But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
BSB: will fail to 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.
Koinōnos: who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions — and in the coming age, eternal life.

MRK 10:31

KJV: But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
BSB: But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Koinōnos: But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

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

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.1.2

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.1.2

“The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees”

Cited to ground: The young man’s claim to have kept these from his youth aligns with the Pharisaic emphasis on meticulous Torah observance.

Translator's notes

MRK 10:17

good,:The word translated 'good' here refers to something intrinsically good, excellent in its nature, and beneficial in its effects, rather than merely pleasant or useful.

MRK 10:21

He loved:The word translated 'He loved' indicates a love based on choice and commitment, often involving esteem and affection, rather than solely passionate or familial love.
poor:The word translated 'poor' here meant a destitute beggar — someone utterly dependent on alms — not the working poor or someone who is simply not wealthy.

MRK 10:23

difficultly:The word translated 'difficultly' suggests something that is hard to accomplish or burdensome, often implying an obstacle that is hard to overcome.