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.
Matthew 19:21 in other translations
| BSB | Jesus told him, “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.” |
|---|---|
| WEB | 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.” |
| ASV | Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. |
| YLT | Jesus said to him, ‘If thou dost will to be perfect, go away, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.' |
| DARBY | Jesus said to him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. |
| BBE | Jesus said to him, If you have a desire to be complete, go, get money for your property, and give it to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven: and come after me. |
| Webster | Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. |
What does Matthew 19:21 mean?
Barnes' Notes
Mark says, (Mk 10:21) Jesus beholding him loved him. He was pleased with his amiableness, his correct character, his frankness, and ingenuousness. Jesus, as a man, was capable of all the emotions of most tender friendship. As a man, we may suppose that his disposition was tender and affectionate, mild and calm. Hence he loved with peculiar affection the disciple John, eminently endowed with these qualities. And hence he was pleased with the same traits in this young man. Still, with all this amiableness, there is reason to think he was not a Christian; and that the love of mere amiable qualities was all the affection that was ever bestowed on him by the Saviour.
One thing, adds Mark, thou lackest. There is one thing wanting. You are not complete. This done, you would show that your obedience lacked no essential part, but was complete, finished, proportionate, perfect.
Go and sell that thou hast, etc. The young man declared that he had kept the law. That law required, among other things, that he should love his neighbour as himself. It required also that he should love the Lord his God supremely; that is, more than all other objects. If he had that true love to God and man; if he loved his Maker and fellow-creatures more than he did his property, he would be willing to give up his wealth to the service of God and of man. Jesus commanded him to do this, therefore, to test his character, and to show him that he had not kept the law as he pretended; and thus to show him that he needed a better righteousness than his own.
Treasure in heaven. Mt 6:20.
Follow me. To follow Jesus, then meant to be a personal attendant on his ministry; to go about with him from place to place, as well as to imitate and obey him. Now it means,
1st. to obey his commandments 2nd. to imitate his example, and to live like him.
(n) "go and sell" Lk 12:33, 16:9, Acts 2:45, 4:34,35, 1Timm 6:18,19 (o) "follow me" Jn 12:26
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Matthew 19:21 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Matthew 19:21
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Acts 2:45
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
- Luke 14:33
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
- Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
- Luke 9:23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
- John 12:26
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
- John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- 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.
- Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Luke 16:9
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:19,20,48; Ge 6:9; 17:1; Job 1:1; Ps 37:37; Lu 6:40; Php 3:12-15
go.
6:19,20; Mr 10:21; Lu 12:33; 14:33; 16:9; 18:22; Ac 2:45; 4:32-35
1Ti 6:17-19; Heb 10:34
come.
28; 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24; Mr 2:14; 8:34; 10:21; Lu 5:27; 9:23; 18:22
Joh 10:27; 12:26
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Matthew 19:20
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
- 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.
- Matthew 19:22
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:21 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Dícele Jesús: Si quieres ser perfecto, anda, vende lo que tienes, y da lo á los pobres, y tendrás tesoro en el cielo; y ven, sígueme. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Jésus lui dit: Si tu veux être parfait, va, vends ce que tu as, et donne aux pauvres; et tu auras un trésor dans le ciel; et viens, suis-moi. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Jesus sprach zu ihm: Wenn du vollkommen sein willst, so gehe hin, verkaufe deine Habe und gib den Armen, und du wirst einen Schatz im Himmel haben; und komm, folge mir nach. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Ait illi Jesus: Si vis perfectus esse, vade, vende quæ habes, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in cælo: et veni, sequere me. |