19:17a
Why do you ask Me about what is good?: This is a rhetorical question. It is a rebuke. Jesus rebuked the man for asking him to define what is good, when God had already made that clear.
Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why do you ask me concerning what is good? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Why do you ask me about what is the good ⌊thing/deed to do⌋?
-or-
Why do you ask me about that? (Revised English Bible)
• As a statement or command. For example:
You should not ask me about what is good.
-or-
Do not ask me about what is the good ⌊thing/deed to do⌋.
-or-
You should not ask me that question.
Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.
about what is good: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as about what is good is more literally “about the good.” This phrase refers to the “good deed/thing” that the young man asked about in 19:16b.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
about what is the good ⌊thing to do⌋
-or-
concerning the good ⌊deed to do⌋
19:17b
There is only One who is good: This clause refers to God. He is the only one who is good.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
There is only one ⌊person⌋ who is good
-or-
God is the only one/being who is good
-or-
Only God is good (Contemporary English Version)
19:17c
If you want to enter life: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as enter life means the same thing as “obtain eternal life” in 19:16b.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
If you want to receive eternal life (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
if you want to have life forever (NCL)
-or-
If you want to live forever ⌊in God’s kingdom⌋
keep the commandments: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as keep means “obey” or “follow.” The word commandments refers to the commands/laws that God gave to his people through Moses.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
obey the laws ⌊of God⌋
-or-
you must do/follow what ⌊God⌋ commanded
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