New International Version
Matthew 19:21
21Jesus 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Context of Matthew 19:21
19honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 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.” 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Read all of Matthew 19Matthew 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Ifεἰei · ifG1487
- thou wiltθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- perfectτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
- goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
- sellπωλέωpōleō · to sellG4453
- thatὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- to the poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
- thou shalt haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- treasureθησαυρόςthēsauros · treasureG2344
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- comeδεῦροdeuro · comeG1204
- followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for Matthew 19:21
- Matthew 5:19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- Genesis 6:9This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
- Job 1:1In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
- Psalms 37:37Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
- Luke 6:40The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
- Philippians 3:12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- Matthew 6:19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Mark 10:21Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
- Luke 12:33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
- Luke 14:33In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
- Luke 16:9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
- Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
- Acts 2:45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
- Acts 4:32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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