New Living Translation
Matthew 19:21
21Jesus 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.”
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. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 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.” 22But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person 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 5:19So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them 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, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
- Job 1:1There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
- Psalms 37:37Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
- Luke 6:40Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
- Philippians 3:12I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
- Matthew 6:19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Mark 10:21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
- Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
- Luke 14:33So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
- Luke 16:9Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
- Luke 18:22When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
- Acts 2:45They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
- Acts 4:32All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need 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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