Let the Children Come to Me

13 ^mAnd they were bringing children to him that he might touchthem, and the disciples ⁿrebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, hewas indignant and said to them, ^o“Let the children come to me; ^pdonot hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 ^qTruly, Isay to you, whoever does not ^rreceive the kingdom of God like a childshall not enter it.” 16 And ^she took them in his arms and blessed them,^tlaying his hands on them.

The Rich Young Man

17 ^uAnd as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and^vknelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to^winherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call megood? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know thecommandments: ^x‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do notsteal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your fatherand mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, ^yall these I have keptfrom my youth.” 21 And Jesus, ^zlooking at him, ^aloved him, and said tohim, “You lack one thing: go, ^bsell all that you have and give to thepoor, and you will have ^ctreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”22 ^dDisheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he hadgreat possessions.

23 And Jesus ^elooked around and said to his disciples, ^f“Howdifficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter ^gthe kingdom ofGod!” 24 And the disciples ^hwere amazed at his words. But Jesus saidto them again, ⁱ“Children, ^jhow difficult it is² to enter ^gthe kingdomof God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle thanfor a rich person to enter ^gthe kingdom of God.” 26 And they wereexceedingly astonished, and said to him,³ “Then who can be saved?”27 Jesus ^klooked at them and said, ^l“With man it is impossible, but notwith God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say tohim, “See, ^mwe have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said,“Truly, I say to you, ⁿthere is no one who has left house or brothers orsisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ^oforthe gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold ^pnow in this time,houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands,^qwith persecutions, and in ^rthe age to come eternal life. 31 But ^smanywho are first will be last, and the last first.”