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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Luke 18:18

An important man asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   Life;   Riches;   Salvation;   Self-Righteousness;   Young Men;   Thompson Chain Reference - Instruction;   Reception-Rejection;   Young Men;   Young People;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Wealth;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hearing the Word of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Zacchaeus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Eternal Life;   Luke, Gospel of;   Torah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Perfection;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Common Life;   Discourse;   Eternal Life (2);   Good;   Good ;   Heir;   Hindrance;   Immortality (2);   Lots;   Man (2);   Manliness;   Property (2);   Renunciation;   Ruler (2);   Salvation Save Saviour;   Social Life;   Wealth (2);   Young Man;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Good;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
King James Version (1611)
And a certaine ruler asked him, saying, Good master, what shall I doe to inherit eternall life?
King James Version
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
English Standard Version
And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
New American Standard Bible
A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
New Century Version
A certain leader asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have life forever?"
Amplified Bible
A certain ruler asked Him, "Good Teacher [You who are essentially and morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom]?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Legacy Standard Bible
And a ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Berean Standard Bible
Then a certain ruler asked Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Complete Jewish Bible
One of the leaders asked him, "Good rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?"
Darby Translation
And a certain ruler asked him saying, Good teacher, having done what, shall I inherit eternal life?
Easy-to-Read Version
A religious leader asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then a certaine ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what ought I to doe, to inherite eternall life?
George Lamsa Translation
A nd one of the leaders asked him and said to him, O good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit life everlasting?
Good News Translation
A Jewish leader asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"
Lexham English Bible
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, by doing what will I inherit eternal life?"
Literal Translation
And a certain ruler asked Him saying, Good Teacher, what may I do to inherit eternal life?
American Standard Version
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Bible in Basic English
And a certain ruler put a question to him, saying, Good Master, what have I to do so that I may have eternal life?
Hebrew Names Version
A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
International Standard Version
Then an official asked Jesus,him
">[fn] "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"Matthew 19:16; Mark 10:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
AND one of the rulers asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ?
Murdock Translation
And one of the chiefs asked him, and said to him: Good Teacher, what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And a certayne ruler asked hym, saying: Good maister, what ought I to do, to possesse eternall lyfe?
English Revised Version
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
World English Bible
A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what do I do to inherit eternal life?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And a certain ruler asked him saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Weymouth's New Testament
The question was put to Him by a Ruler: "Good Rabbi, what shall I do to inherit the Life of the Ages?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And a prince axide hym, and seide, Goode maister, in what thing doynge schal Y weilde euerlastynge lijf?
Update Bible Version
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Webster's Bible Translation
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
New English Translation
Now a certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
New King James Version
Matthew 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-22">[xr] Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
New Living Translation
Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"
New Life Bible
A leader of the people asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have life that lasts forever?"
New Revised Standard
A certain ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And a certain, ruler, questioned him, saying - Good Teacher! by doing what, shall I inherit life age-abiding?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life?
Revised Standard Version
And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And a certayne ruler axed him sayinge: Good Master: what ought I to do to obtayne eternall lyfe?
Young's Literal Translation
And a certain ruler questioned him, saying, `Good teacher, what having done -- shall I inherit life age-during?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And a certayne ruler axed him, and sayde: Good master, what must I do, that I maye enheret euerlastinge life?
Mace New Testament (1729)
Then a person of distinction ask'd him this question, good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
THE MESSAGE
One day one of the local officials asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to deserve eternal life?"
Simplified Cowboy Version
A religious leader once asked Jesus, "Hey Good Cowboy, how could I live forever?"

Contextual Overview

18 An important man asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?" 19 Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? Only God is good. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother.'" 21 He told Jesus, "I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man." 22 When Jesus heard this, he said, "There is one thing you still need to do. Go and sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower." 23 When the man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich. 24 Jesus saw how sad the man was. So he said, "It's terribly hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom! 25 In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom." 26 When the crowd heard this, they asked, "How can anyone ever be saved?" 27 Jesus replied, "There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a certain: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31

Good: Luke 6:46, Ezekiel 33:31, Malachi 1:6, John 13:13-15

what: Luke 10:25, Acts 2:37, Acts 16:30

Reciprocal: Matthew 9:18 - ruler Luke 7:40 - Master Hebrews 9:15 - eternal 1 Peter 3:9 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground,
Genesis 18:3
and said, "Please come to my home where I can serve you.
Genesis 18:17
The Lord said to himself, "I should tell Abraham what I am going to do,
Genesis 18:18
since his family will become a great and powerful nation that will be a blessing to all other nations on earth.
Genesis 18:25
You surely wouldn't let them be killed when you destroy the evil ones. You are the judge of all the earth, and you do what is right."
Genesis 18:26
The Lord replied, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will save the city to keep them from being killed."
Genesis 26:4
I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all of this land. They will be a blessing to every nation on earth,
Psalms 72:17
May the glory of the king shine brightly forever like the sun in the sky. Let him make nations prosper and learn to praise him.
Galatians 3:8
Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him.
Galatians 3:14
And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing that was promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And a certain ruler asked him,.... A young man,

Matthew 19:20 a ruler among the Jews, a civil magistrate, and a very rich man; he ran after Jesus, and overtook him in the way, as he was going towards Jericho, Mark 10:17

saying, good master; "Rabbi"; or doctor,

what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Mark 10:17- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 19:13-30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 18:18-23. A certain ruler — See the case of this person largely explained on Matthew 19:16-22, and Mark 10:21-22.


 
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