Matthew 19:17

Matthew 19:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

Context of Matthew 19:17

15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. 16Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18“Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 19:17 word by word

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• noneοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• butεἰei · ifG1487
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• thou wiltθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• enterεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
• keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• the commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785

Cross-references for Matthew 19:17

• 1 Samuel 2:2“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
• Psalms 52:1Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
• Psalms 145:7They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
• James 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
• 1 John 4:8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
• Leviticus 18:5Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.
• Ezekiel 20:11I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.
• Luke 10:26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
• Romans 10:5Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”
• Galatians 3:11Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

Commentaries on Matthew 19:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Why callest thou me good? - Or, Why dost thou question me concerning that good thing? . This important reading is found in BDL, three others, the Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Ethiopic, latter Syriac, Vulgate, Saxon, all the Itala but one, Origen, Eusebius, Cyril, Dionysius Areop., Antiochus, Novatian, Jerome, Augustin, and Juvencus. Erasmus, Grotius, Mill, and Bengel approve of this reading. This authority appears so decisive to Griesbach that he has…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. 17Why do you ask Me: as a Jew, the man should have known that God shows his standard of goodness in his commandments. The man's questions show he did not trust God's revealed will (also Matthew 19:20). there is only One who is good: The man might have thought he could be perfectly good on his own, but only God is the truly good. So, God is from where all goodness comes. keep the commandments: Jesus might be trying to show the man his own sinfulness by…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:17

• Commandments
• Contingencies
• Covetousness
• God
• God Continued...
• Immortality
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Obedience
• Riches
• Salvation
• Self-Righteousness
• Works
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• God
• Covenant
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Life
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich
• Concerning

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