Mark 10 · Verse 21

Mark 10:21

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Mark 10:21, King James Version

Mark 10:21 in other translations

BSBJesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
WEBJesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”
ASVAnd Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
YLTAnd Jesus having looked upon him, did love him, and said to him, ‘One thing thou dost lack; go away, whatever thou hast--sell, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, be following me, having taken up the cross.'
DARBYAnd Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, One thing lackest thou: go, sell whatever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.
BBEAnd Jesus, looking on him and loving him, said, There is one thing needed: go, get money for your goods, and give it to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven: and come with me.
WebsterThen Jesus beholding him loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

What does Mark 10:21 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. Jesus--loved him. What occurred afterwards showed that the young man did not love the Saviour, or was not a true disciple. So that this expression denotes, simply, natural affection; or means that Jesus was pleased with his amiableness, his morality, and his external regard for the law of God. At the same time, this was entirely consistent with deep sorrow that he would not give his heart to God, and with deep abhorrence of such a love of the world as to blind the mind to the beauty of true religion, and to lead to the rejection of the Messiah, and the destruction of the soul.

One thing thou lackest. When the young man came to Jesus, he asked him, "What lack I yet?" Mt 19:20. This question Mark has omitted, but he has retained the answer. The answer means-- There is one thing yet wanting. Though all that you have said should be true yet to make the system complete, or to show that you really are disposed to keep the commands of God, go and sell your property. See whether you love God more than you do your wealth. By doing that, you will show that your love of God is supreme; that your obedience is not merely external and formal, but sincere and real; the thing, now lacking, will be made up.

(r) "One thing" Jas 2:10 (s) "treasure" Mt 6:19,20, Lk 12:33, 16:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Then Jesus, beholding him - Looking earnestly, εμβλεψας, or affectionately upon him, loved him, because of his youth, his earnestness, and his sincerity. One thing thou lackest - What was that? A heart disengaged from the world, and a complete renunciation of it and its concerns, that he might become a proper and successful laborer in the Lord's vineyard. See Mat 19:21. To say that it was something else he lacked, when Christ explains here his own meaning, is to be wise above what is written.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 10:17-22

This young ruler showed great earnestness. He asked what he should do now, that he might be happy for ever. Most ask for good to be had in this world; any good, Psa 4:6; he asks for good to be done in this world, in order to enjoy the greatest good in the other world. Christ encouraged this address by assisting his faith, and by directing his practice. But here is a sorrowful parting between Jesus and this young…

Read the full comment on Mark 10:17-22 →

Mark 10:21 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἐμβλέψαςemblepsashaving lookedG1689
αὐτῷautōupon himG846
ἠγάπησενēgapēsenHe lovedG25
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
αὐτῷ·autōto him;G846
ἕνhenOne thingG1520
σεseto youG4771
ὑστερεῖ·hustereiis lacking;G5302
ὕπαγε,hupagedo go,G5217
ὅσαhosaas much asG3745
ἔχειςecheisyou haveG2192
πώλησονpōlēsondo sellG4453
καὶkaiandG2532
δὸςdosdo giveG1325
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
πτωχοῖςptōchoispoorG4434
καὶkaiandG2532
ἕξειςhexeisyou will haveG2192
θησαυρὸνthēsaurontreasureG2344
ἐνeninG1722
οὐρανῷ.ouranōheaven.G3772
καὶkaiandG2532
δεῦρο,deurocome,G1204
ἀκολούθειakoloutheido followG190
μοιmoiMeG3165
ἄραςarashaving taken upG142
τὸνton<the>G3588
σταυρόν.stauroncross.G4716

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

Cross references for Mark 10:21

  • Matthew 6:19-21

    Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

  • Revelation 2:4

    Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

  • 1 Timothy 6:17-19

    Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

  • Luke 18:22

    Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

  • Luke 10:42

    But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

  • 1 Peter 1:4-5

    To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

  • James 2:10

    For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

  • Acts 2:45

    And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

  • Matthew 16:24

    Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

  • Luke 12:33

    Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

  • Mark 8:34

    And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

  • Matthew 19:21

    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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
loved.
Ge 34:19; Isa 63:8-10; Lu 19:41; 2Co 12:15
One thing.
Lu 10:42; 18:22; Jas 2:10; Re 2:4,14,20
sell.
Pr 23:23; Mt 13:44-46; 19:21; Lu 12:33; Ac 2:45; 4:34-37
treasure.
Mt 6:19-21; Lu 16:9; 1Ti 6:17-19; Heb 10:34; 1Pe 1:4,5
take.
8:34; Mt 16:24; Lu 9:23; Joh 12:26; 16:33; Ro 8:17,18; 2Ti 3:12

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

Context

  • Mark 10:20

    And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

  • Mark 10:21

    Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

  • Mark 10:22

    And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Read all of Mark 10

Mark 10:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Jesús mirándole, amóle, y díjole: Una cosa te falta: ve, vende todo lo que tienes, y da á los pobres, y tendrás tesoro en el cielo; y ven, sígueme, tomando tu cruz.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jésus, l’ayant regardé, l’aima, et lui dit: Une chose te manque: va, vends tout ce que tu as et donne aux pauvres, et tu auras un trésor dans le ciel, et viens, suis-moi, ayant chargé la croix.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber blickte ihn an, liebte ihn und sprach zu ihm: Eines fehlt dir; gehe hin, verkaufe, was irgend du hast, und gib es den Armen, und du wirst einen Schatz im Himmel haben, und komm, folge mir nach, das Kreuz aufnehmend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus autem intuitus eum, dilexit eum, et dixit ei: Unum tibi deest: vade, quæcumque habes vende, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in cælo: et veni, sequere me.