Matthew 19:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The Rich Young Man Now someone came up to him and said,“Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?”

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Καὶ, ἰδού, εἷς προσελθὼν εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθε, τὶ ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω, ἵνα ἔχω ζωὴν αἰώνιον;

Transliteration

And, idou, one proselthōn eipen to him, Didaskale agathe, what agathon poiēsō, that I may echō zōēn aiōnion?

Grammar Details

• *idou*: aorist imperative, 2nd singular, middle - behold/look
• *proselthōn*: aorist participle, active, nominative, masculine, singular - having come
• *eipen*: aorist, 3rd singular, active - said
• *Didaskale*: vocative, masculine, singular - Teacher
• *agathe*: vocative, masculine, singular - good
• *agathon*: accusative, neuter, singular - good thing
• *poiēsō*: aorist subjunctive, 1st singular, active - should I do
• *echō*: present subjunctive, 1st singular - I might have
• *zōēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - life
• *aiōnion*: accusative, feminine, singular - eternal

Word Meanings

• *idou*: behold/look/see
• *proselthōn*: approaching/coming to
• *Didaskale agathe*: Good Teacher/Good Master
• *agathon poiēsō*: good thing should I do/what good must I do
• *zōēn aiōnion*: eternal life/everlasting life

Referenced Verses

• Matt 25:46 : 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
• John 3:15 : 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
• Mark 10:17-30 : 17 The Rich Man Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said,“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him,“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments:‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 The man said to him,“Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” 21 As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said,“You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were astonished at these words. But again Jesus said to them,“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to one another,“Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and replied,“This is impossible for mere humans, but not for God; all things are possible for God.” 28 Peter began to speak to him,“Look, we have left everything to follow you!” 29 Jesus said,“I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much– homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions– and in the age to come, eternal life.
• 1 John 1:2 : 2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us).
• Jude 1:21 : 21 maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.
• 1 John 2:25 : 25 Now this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life.
• 1 John 5:11-13 : 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life. 13 Assurance of Eternal Life I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
• 1 John 5:20 : 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life.
• Luke 10:25-28 : 25 The Parable of the Good Samaritan Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying,“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him,“What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” 27 The expert answered,“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus said to him,“You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
• Luke 18:18-30 : 18 The Wealthy Ruler Now a certain leader asked him,“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 Jesus said to him,“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments:‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” 21 The man replied,“I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him,“One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. 24 When Jesus noticed this, he said,“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this said,“Then who can be saved?” 27 He replied,“What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God.” 28 And Peter said,“Look, we have left everything we own to follow you! 29 Then Jesus said to them,“I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom 30 who will not receive many times more in this age– and in the age to come, eternal life.”
• Dan 12:2 : 2 Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake– some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
• Matt 19:26 : 26 Jesus looked at them and replied,“This is impossible for mere humans, but for God all things are possible.”
• Matt 19:29 : 29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
• John 4:14 : 14 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”
• John 5:39 : 39 You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me,
• John 6:27-29 : 27 Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life– the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.” 28 So then they said to him,“What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?” 29 Jesus replied,“This is the deed God requires– to believe in the one whom he sent.”
• John 6:47 : 47 I tell you the solemn truth, the one who believes has eternal life.
• John 6:68 : 68 Simon Peter answered him,“Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
• John 10:28 : 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand.
• John 12:25 : 25 The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.
• John 17:2-3 : 2 just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life– that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
• Acts 16:30 : 30 Then he brought them outside and asked,“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
• Rom 2:7 : 7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,
• Rom 5:21 : 21 so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Rom 6:22-23 : 22 But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. 23 For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• 1 Tim 1:16 : 16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.
• 1 Tim 6:12 : 12 Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses.
• 1 Tim 6:19 : 19 In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.
• Titus 1:2 : 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before time began.
• Titus 3:7 : 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”
• Matt 19:17-18 : 17 He said to him,“Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied,“Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,