Jesus Calls the First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen.¹⁷And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed him.¹⁹As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.²⁰Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

The Rich Ruler

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’¹⁹Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.²⁰You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother.” ’²¹He replied, ‘I have kept all these since my youth.’²²When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’²³But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich.²⁴Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!²⁵Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ ²⁶ Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’²⁷He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.’