Luke 18:18-30

18A Jewish ruler came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do so that I can live with God for ever?’

19Jesus asked him, ‘Why do you say that I am good? Only God is good. Nobody else.

20You know God's rules: “Do not have sex with anyone who is not your wife. Do not kill anyone. Do not rob anyone. Do not say things that are not true about people. Love your father and your mother, and obey them.” ’

21The man replied, ‘I have obeyed all these laws since I was a young man.’

22Jesus heard what he said and he replied, ‘There is still just one thing that you must do. You must sell everything that you have. Then give the money to poor people. If you do that, you will have many valuable things in heaven. Then come back and be my disciple.’

23When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. This was because he was a very rich man.

24Jesus saw that the ruler had become sad. He said, ‘It is very difficult for rich people to let God rule in their lives.

25The hole in a needle is very small. A camel cannot go through it! But it is even more difficult than that for a rich person to let God rule in their life.’

26The people who were listening to Jesus said, ‘So perhaps God will not save anyone!’

27Jesus replied, ‘God can do things that are impossible for people to do.’

28Peter then said to Jesus, ‘Look! We have left everything that we had. Now we are your disciples.’

29Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you this: Some people have left their homes. Or they may have left their wife or their brothers. Or they may have left their parents or their children. They have done this to work for the kingdom of God.

30Now, in this world, God will give these people many more things than they have left behind. And in the future world they will live for ever with God.’