Tree of Life Version
Matthew 19:21
21Yeshua said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you own, 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.
- 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 ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20“All these I’ve kept,” the young man said to Him. “What do I still lack?” Yeshua said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you own, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving, for he had much property. 23Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “Amen, I tell you, it is hard for a rich man 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, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- Genesis 6:9These are the genealogies of Noah. Noah was a righteous man. He was blameless among his generation. Noah continually walked with God.
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was 99 years old, Adonai appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless.
- Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. Now that man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
- Psalms 37:37Notice the man of integrity and watch the upright— for the man of shalom has a future.
- Luke 6:40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
- Philippians 3:12Not that I have already obtained this or been perfected, but I press on if only I might take hold of that for which Messiah Yeshua took hold of me.
- 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, Yeshua loved him and said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell as much as you have, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and do tzadakah. Make money pouches for yourselves that do not get old—a treasure in the heavens that never runs out, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
- Luke 14:33So in the same way, whoever does not renounce all that he has, cannot be My disciple.
- Luke 16:9I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of the world, so when it runs out, they will welcome you into the eternal shelters.
- Luke 18:22When Yeshua heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all, as much as you have, and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Acts 2:45They began selling their property and possessions and sharing them with all, as any had need.
- Acts 4:32Now the whole group of those who believed was one in heart and mind. No one would say anything he owned was his own, but they had everything in common.
- 1 Timothy 6:17Direct those who are rich in this present age not to be proud or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God—who richly provides us with everything 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
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries