Matthew 19:20
New International Version
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

New Living Translation
“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

English Standard Version
The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”

Berean Standard Bible
“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”

Berean Literal Bible
The young man says to him, "All these things I have kept. What do I still lack?"

King James Bible
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

New King James Version
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

New American Standard Bible
The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept; what am I still lacking?”

NASB 1995
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”

NASB 1977
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”

Legacy Standard Bible
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”

Amplified Bible
The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?”

Christian Standard Bible
“I have kept all these,” the young man told him. “What do I still lack? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I have kept all these,” the young man told Him. “What do I still lack?”

American Standard Version
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet?

Contemporary English Version
The young man said, "I have obeyed all of these. What else must I do?"

English Revised Version
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The young man replied, "I have obeyed all these commandments. What else do I need to do?"

Good News Translation
"I have obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else do I need to do?"

International Standard Version
The young man told him, "I have kept all of these. What do I still lack?"

Majority Standard Bible
?All these I have kept from my youth,? said the young man. ?What do I still lack??

NET Bible
The young man said to him, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?"

New Heart English Bible
The young man said to him, "All these things I have kept. What do I still lack?"

Webster's Bible Translation
The young man saith to him, All these things have I kept from my youth: what lack I yet?

Weymouth New Testament
"All of these," said the young man, "I have carefully kept. What do I still lack?"

World English Bible
The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The young man says to Him, “All these I kept from my youth; what yet do I lack?”

Berean Literal Bible
The young man says to him, "All these things I have kept. What do I still lack?"

Young's Literal Translation
The young man saith to him, 'All these did I keep from my youth; what yet do I lack?'

Smith's Literal Translation
The young man says to him, All these have I watched from my youth; what yet do I want?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The young man saith to him: All these I have kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?

Catholic Public Domain Version
The young man said to him: “All these I have kept from my childhood. What is still lacking for me?”

New American Bible
The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

New Revised Standard Version
The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The young man said to him, I have obeyed all these from my boyhood, what do I lack?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
That young man said to him, “I have kept all these from my childhood; what am I lacking?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
The young man said to him: All these have I kept from my youth, what do I lack?

Godbey New Testament
The young man says to Him, All these have I kept from my youth: what lack I yet?

Haweis New Testament
The young man saith to him, All these things have I observed from my youth: in what am I still deficient?

Mace New Testament
the young man answer'd, all these things have I practis'd from my youth: what is it that is further required?

Weymouth New Testament
"All of these," said the young man, "I have carefully kept. What do I still lack?"

Worrell New Testament
The young man says to Him, "I observed all these things; what yet do I lack?"

Worsley New Testament
The young man saith unto Him, All these have I kept from my youth: wherein am I yet deficient?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Rich Young Man
19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?” 21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”…

Cross References
Mark 10:20
“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”

Luke 18:21
“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.

Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

Philippians 3:6
as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

James 2:10
Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Galatians 3:10
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Romans 7:9-10
Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. / So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death.

Luke 10:25-28
One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” / “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” / He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ...

Romans 10:3
Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” / Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ / This is the first and greatest commandment. ...

Romans 2:17-23
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; / if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; / if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, ...

Galatians 5:14
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Deuteronomy 6:5
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

The young man said to him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

All.

Mark 10:20
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Luke 15:7,29
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance…

Luke 18:11,12,21
The 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…

what.

Mark 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Luke 18:22
Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

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Carefully Kept Lack Observed Young Youth
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Carefully Kept Lack Observed Young Youth
Matthew 19
1. Jesus heals the sick;
3. answers the Pharisees concerning divorce;
10. shows when marriage is necessary;
13. receives the little children;
16. instructs the young man how to attain eternal life;
20. and how to be perfect;
23. tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;
27. and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him.














All these I have kept
This phrase is spoken by the rich young ruler in response to Jesus' listing of the commandments. The Greek word for "kept" is "ἐφυλαξάμην" (ephylaxamen), which implies a diligent observance or guarding of the commandments. This reflects a common Jewish understanding of righteousness as adherence to the Law. Historically, this statement reveals the young man's confidence in his moral and religious life, suggesting he was likely raised in a devout Jewish household where the Law was highly esteemed.

said the young man
The term "young man" is translated from the Greek "νεανίσκος" (neaniskos), indicating someone in the prime of life, possibly in his late teens to early thirties. This detail is significant as it suggests a person who is both energetic and ambitious, yet still seeking deeper meaning or assurance in life. In the cultural context of the time, youth was often associated with potential and promise, but also with a need for guidance and wisdom.

What do I still lack?
This question reveals the young man's awareness that despite his adherence to the commandments, something essential is missing in his spiritual life. The Greek word for "lack" is "ὑστερέω" (hystereō), which means to fall short or be deficient. This indicates a recognition of an inner void or unfulfilled spiritual need. From a scriptural perspective, this question highlights the limitations of legalistic righteousness and points to the necessity of a deeper, more personal relationship with God. The young man's inquiry is a pivotal moment, reflecting a universal human quest for completeness and purpose beyond mere rule-following.

(20) All these things have I kept.--There is obviously a tone of impatient surprise in the questioner's reply. He had come seeking some great thing to satisfy his lofty aspirations after eternal life. He finds himself re-taught the lessons of childhood, sent back, as it were, to a lower form in the school of holiness. He had not learnt that to keep any one of those commandments in its completeness is the task of a life, that to keep one perfectly implies keeping all. In marked contrast with this half-contemptuous treatment of the simpler elements of religion we may recall our Lord's use, in the Temptation, of the three passages connected, directly or indirectly, with those which were written on the phylacteries that men wore, and which would naturally be taught to children as their first lesson in the Law. (See Notes on Matthew 4:1-11.)

What lack I yet?--Ignorant as the young ruler was of his own spiritual state, his condition was not that of the self-satisfied Pharisee. The question implied a dissatisfaction with himself, a sense of incompleteness, as hungering and thirsting after a higher righteousness. And this accounts for the way in which our Lord dealt with him.

Verse 20. - All these things have I kept [from my youth up]. The bracketed words are omitted in some good manuscripts, and by most modern editors; but they have high authority, and are found in most versions, and in the parallel passages of Mark and Luke. They accurately express the ruler's view of his conduct. He could say without hesitation or mental reservation that he had scrupulously observed the duties of the Decalogue from the time that he knew right from wrong. Of course, we accuse one who could make such a statement of self-righteousness, of ignorance of the spirit of the Law which he claimed to have obeyed; and if one of us spoke thus presumptuously, we should rightly condemn him; we should say that outward service and legal notions of duty were of little worth, and could not secure eternal life. But our Lord treated the young man differently. He did not blame him as boastful and self-deceiving; he had no reproof for his seemingly presumptuous assertion; he recognized his simplicity, honesty, and sincerity, and St. Mark tells us that "Jesus beholding [looking upon, or into] him, loved him." He read the youth's heart, saw how pure and guileless it was, recognized in him the possibility of great things, and that he was worthy of the saintly life. The ruler felt that there was more to come; hence he asks, What lack I yet? Τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ; In what respect am I still deficient? How do I come short of eternal life? He had still a sense of want. All that he had done had not given him peace of mind. Hence his inquiry. From a Christian the question would savour of ignorance and unspirituality; but this man asked it in all sincerity, desiring earnestly to know what more was required of him, and being ready, as he thought, to undergo any pain, make any, even the most painful effort, if by so doing he might win the prize on which his soul was set.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“All these
πάντα (panta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

I have kept,”
ἐφύλαξα (ephylaxa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 5442: Probably from phule through the idea of isolation; to watch, i.e. Be on guard; by implication, to preserve, obey, avoid.

said
Λέγει (Legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

young man.
νεανίσκος (neaniskos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3495: A young man, youth, an attendant. From the same as neanias; a youth.

“What
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

do I still lack?”
ὑστερῶ (hysterō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 5302: From husteros; to be later, i.e. to be inferior; generally, to fall short.


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