Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just tell the young man to sell his possessions; he instructs him to "give to the poor" as well, highlighting that true generosity and love for others are inseparable from one's pursuit of spiritual completeness. This isn't merely about detachment from wealth but about actively participating in God's kingdom by caring for the marginalized.
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
A wealthy young man, who considers himself righteous, asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus first points him to the commandments, all of which the man claims to have kept since youth. Jesus then tests the sincerity of his commitment by asking him to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
The young man asks Jesus how to be 'perfect.' But what does that word really mean in this context? It's not about being sinless, but about being complete.
When Jesus tells the young man, "If you would be perfect," He's not asking for sinless perfection, which is impossible for us. Instead, 'perfect' here means complete, whole, lacking nothing essential.
Think of it like a well-built house – it's 'perfect' when all its parts are present and functioning as they should. For this young man, his attachment to his wealth was the missing piece, the thing that kept him from being spiritually whole.
His question was about eternal life, and Jesus showed him that true spiritual completeness involves total devotion, not just following a set of rules. It means having all the 'parts' of your life oriented towards God.
Jesus loved this young man, yet He gave him a radical command: sell everything. Why such a drastic measure?
Jesus saw that the young man's wealth wasn't just a possession; it was his stumbling block. He had followed the commandments diligently, but his heart was still clinging to his riches.
Jesus didn't command this of everyone, but for this specific man, selling his possessions and giving to the poor was the test designed to reveal where his true treasure lay. It was a way to:
Ask a follow-up
After the radical command to sell all, Jesus offers a profound invitation: 'Come, follow me.' What does this truly mean?
The ultimate goal wasn't just to get rid of wealth; it was to gain Jesus. Selling possessions and giving to the poor were means to an end: to free the young man to truly follow Christ.
'Following Me' meant:
The young man's sorrow revealed that he valued his earthly possessions more than the heavenly treasure of following Jesus.
Understand the original words
teleios · Greek Adjective
The state of being complete, mature, or lacking nothing in terms of spiritual character and devotion to God. It refers to the goal of the believer's life in Christ, characterized by total commitment and holiness.
hyparchonta · Greek Noun
Material wealth, belongings, or property that a person owns. In a biblical context, it often refers to things that can become idols and hinder a person from absolute reliance upon God.
ptōchois · Greek Noun
Those who are destitute, lacking basic needs, or socially marginalized. Scripture consistently emphasizes God's concern for them and commands His people to show them compassion and generosity.
thēsauron · Greek Noun
Spiritual riches or eternal rewards laid up in the presence of God. This transcends earthly material value, focusing on the inheritance and life promised to those who follow Christ.
akolouthei · Greek Verb
The act of discipleship, involving total devotion, obedience, and alignment with the life and teachings of Jesus. It implies leaving behind former allegiances to walk in His way.
This passage presents the same encounter with the rich young ruler, highlighting his sincere desire for eternal life and Jesus' loving, yet challenging, response that exposes his attachment to wealth.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse directly addresses the love of money as a root of all kinds of evil, underscoring why Jesus’ command to sell possessions was a crucial test for the young ruler’s spiritual completeness.
Matthew 6:24Jesus explicitly states that one cannot serve both God and money, reinforcing the idea that the young ruler’s devotion was divided and that truly following Him required a decisive choice to prioritize heavenly treasures.
Acts 4:32-35This passage shows the early Christian community living out a radical generosity, selling possessions and sharing them so that no one lacked, demonstrating a practical outworking of the principle Jesus taught.
Philippians 3:7-8Paul describes his own willingness to count all his former religious achievements and status as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, paralleling the young ruler's need to relinquish earthly possessions for a greater spiritual gain.
barnesMatthew 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."
If thou wilt be perfect - The word "perfect" means complete in all its parts, finished, having no part wanting. Thus a watch is perfect or complete when it has all its proper wheels, and hands, and casements in order. Job was said to be perfect (see the notes at Job 1:1), not that he was sinless, for he is afterward repr…
calvinMatthew 19:16-22: "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"
- And, lo, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17. Who said to him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but God alone? [614] but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18. He saith to him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not…
Jesus doesn't just tell the young man to sell his possessions; he instructs him to "give to the poor" as well, highlighting that true generosity and love for others are inseparable from one's pursuit of spiritual completeness. This isn't merely about detachment from wealth but about actively participating in God's kingdom by caring for the marginalized.
A wealthy young man, who considers himself righteous, asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus first points him to the commandments, all of which the man claims to have kept since youth. Jesus then tests the sincerity of his commitment by asking him to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
A wealthy young man, who considers himself righteous, asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus first points him to the commandments, all of which the man claims to have kept since youth. Jesus then tests the sincerity of his commitment by asking him to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
"Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”" — Jesus doesn't just tell the young man to sell his possessions; he instructs him to "give to the poor" as well, highlighting that true generosity and love for others are inseparable from one's pursuit…
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Last reviewed October 2026