Mark 10:18

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.

BSB

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.

KJV

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

ASV

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, [even] God.

BBE

And Jesus said to him, Why do you say I am good? no one is good but one, and that is God.

Original Greek

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Ὁ Ho (the) G3588 δὲ de And G1161 Ἰησοῦς Iēsous Jesus G2424 εἶπεν eipen said G2036 αὐτῷ autō to him G846 τί ti Why G5101 με me Me G3165 λέγεις legeis you call G3004 ἀγαθόν; agathon good G18 οὐδεὶς oudeis No [one is] G3762 ἀγαθὸς agathos good G18 εἰ ei only G1487 μὴ mē except G3361 εἷς heis one G1520 ὁ ho (the) G3588 θεός theos God G2316

The early church

(ubi sup.) But by this one God, who is good, we must not only understand the Father, but also the Son, who says, I am the good Shepherd; (John 10:11) and also the Holy Ghost, because it is said, The Father which is in heaven will give the good Spirit to them that ask him. (Luke 2:15. Vulg.) For the One and Undivided Trinity itself, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the Only and One good God. The Lord, therefore, does not deny Himself to be good, but implies that He is God; He does not deny that He is good Master, but He declares that no master is good but God.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Therefore the Lord intended by these words to raise the mind of the young man, so that he might know Him to be God. But He also implies another thing by these words, that when you have to converse with a man, you should not flatter him in your conversation, but look back upon God, the root and fount of goodness, and do honour to Him.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 17–22

This young ruler showed great earnestness. He asked what he should do now, that he might be happy for ever. Most ask for good to be had in this world; any good, Psa 4:6; he asks for good to be done in this world, in order to enjoy the greatest good in the other world. Christ encouraged this address by assisting his faith, and by directing his practice. But here is a sorrowful parting between Jesus and this young man. He asks Christ what he shall do more than he has done, to obtain eternal life; and Christ puts it to him, whether he has indeed that firm belief of, and that high value for eternal life which he seems to have. Is he willing to bear a present cross, in expectation of future crown? The young man was sorry he could not be a follower of Christ upon easier terms; that he could not lay hold on eternal life, and keep hold of his worldly possessions too. He went away grieved. See Mt 6:24, Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Read Matthew Henry on Mark 10 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 19:17Luke 18:19

Cross-references

11

People & places

Jesus

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God

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.