And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
- BSB “Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”
- NKJV And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
- NASB And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.”
- NLT “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
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
The man claims to have kept all these commands from his youth. His sincere but shallow self-assessment reveals he has not seen his own heart.
Overview
The man answers confidently, believing his outward conformity to be full obedience. His reply shows a common error: mistaking external observance for true righteousness. Jesus will gently but pointedly show that one decisive test will reveal whether God or his possessions hold first place in his heart.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 33:31–32And 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.
- 2 Tim 3:5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
- Phil 3:6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
- Rom 7:9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
- Luke 18:11–12The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
- Matt 19:20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
- Ezek 5:14Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
- Isa 58:2Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
- Mal 3:8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
- Luke 10:29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 10:20 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
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