And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Parallel translations
- WEB But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
- BSB But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
- NKJV But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
- NASB But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
- NLT But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Hearing this, the ruler becomes very sad because he was very rich. His wealth holds his heart.
Overview
The man's grief reveals that his riches, not God, held first place. Faced with surrendering his idol to follow Jesus, he cannot let go. The verse soberly shows that earthly treasure can keep someone from the only treasure that lasts, even when they are drawn to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ezek 33:31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
- 1 Jn 2:15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- Luke 12:15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
- Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
- Mark 10:22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
- Matt 19:22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
- Job 31:24–25If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
- Luke 21:34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
- Judg 18:23–24And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
- Phil 3:8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
- Col 3:5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
- Eph 5:5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Luke 19:8And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 18:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.