Matthew 19:21

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

Jesus replied, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give [the money] to poor people; then become my follower and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Cross References

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to be my follower, he should deny self [i.e., of always having its own way] and lift up his cross [of responsibility] and [then he can] become my follower.

Matthew 19:20

The young man said to Him, “I have [already] been observing all of these commandments. What do I [still] lack?”

Matthew 19:22

But when the young man heard these words, he went away saddened, for he had many possessions.

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, [since] you have become my followers, in the time of new beginnings [i.e., the church age], when the Son of man sits on His glorious throne, you apostles will also sit on twelve thrones, judging [i.e., through their writings] the twelve tribes of Israel [i.e., God’s people].

Matthew 4:19

And He said to them, “Come with me, and I will make you fishermen for people.”

Matthew 5:48

Therefore, you must [attempt to] be complete, just as your heavenly Father is [already] complete.”

Matthew 8:22

But Jesus answered him, “Become my follower, and let the [spiritually] dead bury them” [i.e., let a person’s relatives care for their own family members until they die].

Matthew 9:9

As Jesus moved on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth [i.e., collecting taxes]. He said to him, “Become my follower.” And he got up and followed Him.

Mark 10:21

And Jesus looked at him, and filled with love, said to him, “There is one thing you [still] lack. Go and sell your possessions and give [the money] to poor people; become my follower, then you will have treasure in heaven.”

Mark 2:14

And as He walked along He saw Levi [i.e., the same person as Matthew. See Matt. 9:9], the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the toll booth [i.e., collecting taxes]. He said to him, “Become my follower.” And he got up and followed Him.

Mark 8:34

And He called the crowd to Him, along with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be my follower, he should deny himself [i.e., of always having his own way] and accept his cross [i.e., his responsibilities, with all their difficulties] and then he can become my follower.

Luke 12:33

Sell your possessions and give [the money] to poor people; provide yourselves with money belts that do not wear out [i.e., from the constant use of carrying much money all the time, instead of investing it in others’ needs]. [Then you will possess] an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief can approach, nor moth destroy.

Luke 14:33

So therefore, every one of you who does not say ‘goodbye’ to everything he owns cannot be my disciple.

Luke 16:9

Therefore, I tell you, make friends for yourselves by using worldly wealth, so that when it fails [i.e., when you run out of money] they [i.e., the friends you made with its wise and benevolent use] may welcome you into the eternal [i.e., heavenly] dwelling places. [Note: The idea here seems to be that by your shrewd use of material possessions for the benefit of others, you are actually storing up treasures for yourself in heaven].

Luke 18:22

When Jesus heard this He said to him, “[There is] one thing you still lack. Sell all your possessions and distribute [the money] to poor people; become my follower, [and then] you will have treasure in heaven.”

Luke 5:27

Then after these things happened, Jesus went out [i.e., probably walking along a street] and saw a publican [Note: This was a person with a bad reputation for dishonest tax collecting activities] named Matthew [i.e., the same person as Levi. See Mark 2:14] sitting at the toll booth [collecting taxes] and said, “Become my follower.”

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not more important than his teacher, but when every person becomes complete, [then] he will be like his teacher.

Luke 9:23

Then He said to everyone, “If anyone wants to be my follower, he should deny self [i.e., of always having its own way] and accept his cross [i.e., his responsibilities, with all their difficulties] everyday, and [then he can] become my follower.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 12:26

If any person wants to serve me, he should become my follower; and wherever I am, my servant will be there also. If any person serves me, the Father will honor him.

Acts 2:45

They sold their belongings and property and divided [the money] among all [the believers] according to each one’s need.

Hebrews 10:34

For you showed sympathy for those who were in prison and accepted it joyfully when your [own] possessions were taken away, [because] you knew that you yourselves had a better and more permanent possession [in heaven].