Luke 18 · Verse 19

Luke 18:19

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Luke 18:19, King James Version

Luke 18:19 in other translations

BSB“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
WEBJesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God.
ASVAnd Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God.
YLTAnd Jesus said to him, ‘Why me dost thou call good? no one is good, except One--God;
DARBYBut Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one,God.
BBEAnd Jesus said to him, Why do you say that I am good? No one is good, but only God.
WebsterAnd Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is God.

What does Luke 18:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Why, &c.--Did our Lord mean then to teach that God only ought to be called "good?" Impossible, for that had been to contradict all Scripture teaching, and His own, too (Psa 112:5; Mt 25:21; Tit 1:8). Unless therefore we are to ascribe captiousness to our Lord, He could have had but one object--to raise the youth's ideas of Himself, as not to be classed merely with other "good masters," and declining to receive this title apart from the "One" who is essentially and only "good." This indeed is but distantly hinted; but unless this is seen in the background of our Lord's words, nothing worthy of Him can be made out of them. (Hence, Socinianism, instead of having any support here, is only baffled by it).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 18:18-30

Many have a great deal in them very commendable, yet perish for lack of some one thing; so this ruler could not bear Christ's terms, which would part between him and his estate. Many who are loth to leave Christ, yet do leave him. After a long struggle between their convictions and their corruptions, their corruptions carry the day. They are very sorry that they cannot serve both; but if one must be quitted, it…

Read the full comment on Luke 18:18-30 →

Luke 18:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἶπενeipenSaidG2036
δὲdethenG1161
αὐτῷautōto himG846
ὁho<the>G3588
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
τίtiWhyG5101
μεmeMeG3165
λέγειςlegeisyou callG3004
ἀγαθόν;agathongood?G18
οὐδεὶςoudeisNo [one is]G3762
ἀγαθὸςagathosgoodG18
εἰeionlyG1487
μὴmēexceptG3361
εἷςheisoneG1520
ὁho<the>G3588
θεός.theosGod.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 18:19

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Job 15:14-16

    What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

  • Hebrews 7:26

    For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

  • 1 Timothy 3:16

    And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

  • Job 25:4

    How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

  • Job 14:4

    Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

  • Luke 11:13

    If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

  • Luke 1:35

    And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:35; 11:13; Job 14:4; 15:14-16; 25:4; 1Ti 3:16; Heb 7:26; Jas 1:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 18:18

    And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

  • Luke 18:19

    And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

  • Luke 18:20

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Read all of Luke 18

Luke 18:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jesús le dijo: ¿Por qué me llamas bueno? ninguno hay bueno sino sólo Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jésus lui dit: Pourquoi m’appelles-tu bon? Nul n’est bon, sinon un seul, Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: Was heißest du mich gut? Niemand ist gut, als nur einer, Gott.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem ei Jesus: Quid me dicis bonum? nemo bonus nisi solus Deus.