Matthew 19 · Verse 16

Matthew 19:16

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Matthew 19:16, King James Version

Matthew 19:16 in other translations

BSBJust then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?”
WEBBehold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”
ASVAnd behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
YLTAnd lo, one having come near, said to him, ‘Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have life age-during?'
DARBYAnd lo, one coming up said to him, Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have life eternal?
BBEAnd one came to him and said, Master, what good thing have I to do, so that I may have eternal life?
WebsterAnd behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

What does Matthew 19:16 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 16-30. This account is found also in Mk 10:17-31; Lk 18:18-30.

Verse 16. One came. This was a young man, Mt 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 salutation; exhibiting the highest regard for Jesus as an extraordinary religious Teacher.

Good Master. The word good here means, doubtless, most excellent; referring not so much to the MORAL character of Jesus as to his character as a religious Teacher. It was probably a title which the Jews were in the habit of applying to their religious teachers. The word Master here means Teacher.

What good thing shall I do. He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that men were to be saved by doing something, or by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life; but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To have eternal life means, to be saved. The happiness of heaven is called life, in opposition to the pains of hell, called death, or an eternal dying, Rev 2:2, 20:14. The one is real life, answering the purposes of living--living to the honour of God, and in eternal happiness; the other is a failure of the great ends of existence--prolonged, eternal suffering--of which temporal death is but the feeble image.

(l) "what good" Mk 10:17, Lk 10:25, 18:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 One came - Instead of εις one, several MSS., the Slavonic version, and Hilary, read νεανισκος τις, a certain young man. Good, etc. - Much instruction may be had from seriously attending to the conduct, spirit, and question of this person. 1. He came running, (Mar 10:17), for he was deeply convinced of the importance of his business, and seriously determined to seek so as to find. 2. He kneeled, or caught him by the knees, thus evidencing his humility, and addressing himself only to mercy. See Mat 17:14. 3. He came in the spirit of a disciple, or scholar, desiring to be taught a matter of the utmost importance to him - Good teacher. 4. He came in the spirit of obedience; he had worked hard to no purpose, and he is still willing to work, provided he can have a prospect of succeeding - What good thing shall I do? 5. His question was the most interesting and important that any soul can ask of God - How shall I be saved?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 19:16-22
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 in following Christ, that we duly attend his ordinances, strictly follow his pattern, and cheerfully submit to his disposals; and this from love to him, and in dependence on him. To sell all, and give to the poor, will not serve, but we are to follow Christ. The gospel is the only remedy for lost sinners. Many abstain from gross vices who do not attend to their obligations to God. Thousands of instances of disobedience in thought, word, and deed, are marked against them in the book of God. Thus numbers forsake Christ, loving this present world: they feel convictions and desires, but they depart sorrowful, perhaps trembling. It behoves us to try ourselves in these matters, for the Lord will try us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 19:16 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.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400
εἷςheisoneG1520
προσελθὼνproselthōnhaving comeG4334
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
εἶπεν·eipensaid:G2036
διδάσκαλεdidaskaleTeacherG1320
ἀγαθέ,agathegoodG18
τίtiwhatG5101
ἀγαθὸνagathongood [thing]G18
ποιήσωpoiēsōshall I doG4160
ἵναinathatG2443
σχῶschōI may haveG2192
ζωὴνzōēnlifeG2222
αἰώνιον;aiōnioneternal?G166

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

Cross references for Matthew 19:16

  • Mark 10:17-30

    And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. …

  • John 3:15

    That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

  • Luke 18:18-30

    And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 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. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. …

  • Jude 1:21

    Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

  • Matthew 25:46

    And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

  • 1 John 1:2

    (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

  • 1 John 5:20

    And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

  • Titus 3:7

    That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

  • Acts 16:30

    And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

  • Titus 1:2

    In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

  • 1 John 5:11-13

    And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

  • 1 John 2:25

    And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
one.
Mr 10:17; Lu 18:18
what.
Lu 10:25; Joh 6:27-29; Ac 16:30
eternal.
25:46; Da 12:2; Joh 3:15; 4:14; 5:39; 6:47,68; 10:28; 12:25; 17:2,3
Ro 2:7; 5:21; 6:22,23; 1Ti 1:16; 6:12,19; Tit 1:2; 3:7; 1Jo 1:2; 2:25
1Jo 5:11-13,20; Jude 1:21

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

Context

  • Matthew 19:15

    And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

  • Matthew 19:16

    And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

  • Matthew 19:17

    And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Read all of Matthew 19

Matthew 19:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y he aquí, uno llegándose le dijo: Maestro bueno, ¿qué bien haré para tener la vida eterna?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voici, quelqu’un s’approchant, lui dit: Maître, quel bien ferai-je pour avoir la vie éternelle?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und siehe, einer trat herzu und sprach zu ihm: Lehrer, welches Gute soll ich tun, auf daß ich ewiges Leben habe?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ecce unus accedens, ait illi: Magister bone, quid boni faciam ut habeam vitam æternam?