Matthew 19:21

Matthew 19:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Context of Matthew 19:21

19Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. 23And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:21 word by word

Ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς τοῖς πτωχοῖς· καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.¶Read the interlinear

• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• “Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• you wantθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• completeτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
• goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
• sellπωλέωpōleō · to sellG4453
• your possessionsὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• and giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
• and you will haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• treasureθησαυρόςthēsauros · treasureG2344
• in heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• and comeδεῦροdeuro · comeG1204
• followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190

Cross-references for Matthew 19:21

• Matthew 5:19Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
• Genesis 6:9These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
• Genesis 17:1Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.
• Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
• Psalms 37:37Observe the blameless person, and look at the upright; For the person of peace will have a future.
• Luke 6:40A student is not above the teacher; but everyone, when he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.
• Philippians 3:12Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
• Matthew 6:19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
• Mark 10:21Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
• Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy.
• Luke 14:33So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
• Luke 16:9And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it is all gone, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
• Luke 18:22Now when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
• Acts 2:45and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.
• Acts 4:32And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.
• 1 Timothy 6:17Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

Commentaries on Matthew 19:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21If thou wilt be perfect - , To be complete, to have the business finished, and all hinderances to thy salvation removed, go and sell that thou hast - go and dispose of thy possessions, to which it is evident his heart was too much attached, and give to the poor - for thy goods will be a continual snare to thee if thou keep them; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven - the loss, if it can be called such, shall be made amply up to thee in that eternal life…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-30Verses 16-30 This account is found also in Mark 10:17-31; Matthew 19:16 One came - This was a young man, Matthew 19:20. He was a ruler (Luke); probably a ruler in a synagogue, or of the great council of the nation; a place to which he was chosen on account of his unblemished character and promising talents. He came running (Mark); evincing great earnestness and anxiety, He fell upon his knees (Mark); not to worship him, but to pay the customary respectful…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 Christ knew that covetousness was the sin which most easily beset this young man; though he had got honestly what he possessed, yet he could not cheerfully part with it, and by this his want of sincerity was shown. Christ's promises make his precepts easy, and his yoke pleasant and very comfortable; yet this promise was as much a trial of the young man's faith, as the precept was of his charity and contempt of the world. It is required of us…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-22When Jesus told the man to go, sell … come, follow, Jesus revealed that the man had not truly followed the first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3). His possessions (his wealth and security) had become his god (see Matthew 6:20, 24; 13:44–46).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:21

• Alms
• Beneficence
• Covetousness
• Heaven
• Jesus, the Christ
• Liberality
• Life
• Perfection
• Poor
• Riches
• Salvation
• Self-Denial
• Self-Righteousness
• Selfishness
• Treasure
• Works
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich
• Abstinence
• Divorce in the New Testament
• Essenes

Commentaries on Matthew 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings