Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
May the Savior, then, grant us, as we begin our discourse from this point, to contribute to the brothers what is true and fitting and salutary, first with a view to hope itself, and second with a view to the way of approach to that hope. And he who freely grants to those in need also teaches those who ask, and dissolves their ignorance, and shakes off their despair, by again introducing to us the same sayings concerning the rich, becoming for us the reliable interpreter and expounder of his own words. For there is nothing like hearing the very sayings themselves once more — the sayings which, up to now, have troubled us as we listened to them in the gospels without due examination and mistakenly, out of childishness. "As he was setting out on his way, a man ran up and knelt before him, saying: 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' And Jesus said: 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, God. You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.' And he answered and said to him: 'All these I have kept from my youth.' And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and said: 'One thing you lack. If you wish to be perfect, sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.' But he, saddened at this word, went away grieving, for he had great possessions and fields. And Jesus, looking around, said to his disciples: 'How hard it is for those who have possessions to enter the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astounded at his words. And again Jesus answered and said to them: 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! Sooner would a camel pass through a needle's opening than a wealthy man make his way into God's kingdom.' And they were exceedingly astonished, and said: 'Who then can be saved?' And he, looking upon them, said: 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.' Peter began to say to him: 'Look, we have left everything and followed you.' And Jesus answered and said: 'Truly I say to you, whoever leaves his own home, and parents, and brothers, and possessions for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, will receive a hundredfold. Now, in this present time, to have fields and possessions and houses and brothers, along with persecutions — to what end? But in the age to come there is eternal life. And the first will be last, and the last first.'"
← All of Clement of Alexandria: Exhortation, Instructor & Miscellanies