Matthew 19:17
“And he said vnto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandements.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
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Matthew 19:17 Context
15And he laide his hands on them, and departed thence. 16¶ And behold, one came and said vnto him, Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may haue eternall life? 17And he said vnto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandements. 18He saith vnto him, Which? Iesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steale, Thou shalt not beare false witnesse, 19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.
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Other Translations for 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.
- King James Version
And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is {only} One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
- New American Standard Version (1995)
And he said unto him, Why askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good: but if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.
- American Standard Version (1901)
And he said to him, Why are you questioning me about what is good? One there is who is good: but if you have a desire to go into life, keep the rules of the law.
- Basic English Bible
And he said to him, What askest thou me concerning goodness? one is good. But if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.
- Darby Bible
And he said to 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.
- Webster's Bible
Why do you ask me, He replied, "about what is good? There is only One who is truly good. But if you desire to enter into Life, keep the Commandments."
- Weymouth Bible
He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
- World English Bible
Which seith to hym, What axist thou me of good thing? There is o good God. But if thou wolt entre to lijf, kepe the comaundementis.
- Wycliffe Bible
And he said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one [is] good except One -- God; but if thou dost will to enter into the life, keep the commands.'
- Youngs Literal Bible
Wesley's Notes for Matthew 19:17
19:17 Why callest thou me good - Whom thou supposest to be only a man. There is none good - Supremely, originally, essentially, but God. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments - From a principle of loving faith. Believe, and thence love and obey. And this undoubtedly is the way to eternal life. Our Lord therefore does not answer ironically, which had been utterly beneath his character, but gives a plain, direct, serious answer to a serious question.
People's Bible Notes for Matthew 19:17
Mt 19:17 Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is,] God. The Revised Version, following the Siniatic, Vatican, and some other manuscripts, leaves off "good" before "Master" in Mt 19:16, and changes this to, "Why asketh thou me concerning that which is good"? Still, Mark and Luke give the question in the form of the Common Version as here (Mr 10:18 Lu 18:19); hence we are justified in adhering to the text as above. Some have seen in these words of Christ an affirmation that he was not divine. To these, Stier replies: ``Either there is none good but God, Christ is good, therefore Christ is God; or, there is none good but God, Christ is not God, therefore Christ is not good.'' There is no answer to these syllogisms but to deny the sinlessness of Christ. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. The Lord had evidently asked his first question to prepare the way for this direction. He has, in saying that no man is absolutely good, said that no man can keep the commandments perfectly.