Luke 18 23

Luke 18:23 kjv

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Luke 18:23 nkjv

But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

Luke 18:23 niv

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

Luke 18:23 esv

But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Luke 18:23 nlt

But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

Luke 18 verses

Luke 18 23 Meaning

Luke 18:23 describes the immediate, profound sorrow of the rich ruler upon hearing Jesus' call to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. His overwhelming grief stemmed from the fact that his immense wealth was something he loved more than discipleship, revealing a deep conflict between his desire for eternal life and his unwillingness to surrender his worldly attachments. He valued his riches above obedience to Christ's specific command for him.

Luke 18 23 Context

Luke 18:23 is a pivotal moment within Jesus' encounter with a rich Jewish ruler, also known as the Rich Young Ruler (Lk 18:18-30). This interaction immediately follows Jesus' teaching on allowing children to come to Him (Lk 18:15-17), where He emphasized the childlike humility required to enter the Kingdom of God. The ruler, seeking to inherit eternal life, approached Jesus to ask what good deed he must do. Jesus initially pointed to keeping the commandments (Lk 18:20-21). When the ruler claimed to have kept all these from his youth, Jesus then gave him a specific, radical, and personal command: "Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Lk 18:22). Verse 23 details the ruler's sorrowful reaction to this very challenging demand, setting the stage for Jesus' subsequent teaching on the difficulty for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God and the ultimate impossibility for humanity without divine intervention. Historically, wealth was often seen as a sign of God's blessing among the Jewish people, making Jesus' challenge and the ruler's reaction even more poignant. This encounter directly confronts the cultural assumption that material prosperity equates to divine favor and righteousness, revealing the idolatry hidden in the heart.

Luke 18 23 Word analysis

• He: Refers back to the unnamed "ruler" (ἄρχων, archōn) mentioned in Lk 18:18. This individual held a position of influence, possibly a leader in a synagogue or a member of the Sanhedrin, indicating social prominence and religious devotion.

• heard (ἀκούσας - akousas): An aorist participle, suggesting that upon hearing these specific things—Jesus' direct and profound command—his immediate internal reaction occurred. He fully comprehended the words.

• these things (ταῦτα - tauta): Directly points to Jesus' very demanding instruction in Lk 18:22: "Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." It's not a general teaching, but a precise, personal call.

• became (ἐγενήθη - egenēthē): From ginomai, "to become," indicating a new state or condition that came into being. His demeanor and inner state transformed from initial inquiry to deep distress.

• very sorrowful (περίλυπος - perilypos): This Greek word is significant. Peri (around) + lypē (grief, sorrow). It implies being "surrounded by sorrow," "exceedingly grieved," or "deeply distressed." It’s a strong term indicating profound emotional pain and despair, not just slight disappointment. This intense sadness indicates the gravity of the decision before him and his unwillingness to comply.

• for (γὰρ - gar): A conjunction meaning "for" or "because," introducing the reason for his profound sorrow. It connects his emotional state directly to his material condition.

• he was (ἦν - ēn): Imperfect tense of eimi, "to be," describing a continuous or existing state. It implies that his richness was not a temporary condition but a settled reality, defining a significant aspect of his life.

• very (σφόδρα - sphodra): An intensifier meaning "very much," "exceedingly," "greatly." It reinforces the extent of his wealth, making it "very, very rich" or "extremely rich."

• rich (πλούσιος - plousios): Possessing abundant material possessions, wealth. The combination with sphodra underscores that his financial standing was not just comfortable but substantial. This great wealth was the stumbling block.

• "became very sorrowful, for he was very rich": This phrase directly links the ruler's emotional state (deep grief) to the cause (his extensive wealth). His sorrow was not about failing a test, but about being asked to give up something he deeply valued—something that apparently defined his security and perhaps his identity. The love of his riches became a barrier to genuine discipleship and entry into the Kingdom of God. The phrase exposes a conflict between an expressed desire for eternal life and an unspoken idolatry of material possessions. It highlights the heart's attachment to the world versus true commitment to Christ, revealing the personal cost of following Jesus.

Luke 18 23 Bonus section

• The term "ruler" (archōn) suggests a person of considerable power and social standing, making his failure to respond to Jesus’ call even more striking and cautionary. Such a person, seemingly blessed, was still tragically bound by his possessions.
• His "great sorrow" highlights that he truly did want eternal life and recognized Jesus' authority. Yet, his attachment to his possessions created an internal, agonizing conflict he couldn't resolve in Jesus' favor. It demonstrates the profound spiritual chains that materialism can forge, even in ostensibly devout individuals.
• This specific instruction to sell everything was not a universal command for all disciples (e.g., Zacchaeus, while generous, was not commanded to sell all he had in Lk 19:8), but a pointed, individualized challenge for this ruler, specifically targeting the idolatry in his heart that Jesus perceived. This makes the verse a crucial example of how Jesus exposes the hidden sins that prevent genuine relationship and surrender.
• The incident served as a dramatic setup for Jesus’ subsequent teaching on the Kingdom of God and the impossible being made possible with God (Lk 18:24-27), reinforcing divine grace as the only way into salvation for all, rich or poor. The ruler's sorrow is a stark demonstration of humanity's inability to save itself by its own merit or will when faced with such demands.

Luke 18 23 Commentary

Luke 18:23 succinctly captures the tragic essence of the rich ruler's encounter with Jesus. His intense sorrow, perilypos, was a visceral reaction, signaling not a lack of desire for eternal life, but an inability or unwillingness to meet the ultimate condition of discipleship: full surrender. His "very rich" status, "plousios sphodra," was not just an economic fact, but the root cause of his attachment. It illustrates the spiritual peril of material wealth when it becomes an idol, placing a chokehold on one's heart.

This verse teaches that wealth itself is not condemned, but rather the love and trust in it, which can ensnare the soul and supersede love for God. The ruler's departure in sorrow signifies that his attachment to his possessions outweighed his desire to follow Christ and obtain treasure in heaven. He chose earthly comfort and security over the radical demands of the Kingdom. This is a profound warning that genuine discipleship requires releasing all competitors for ultimate devotion, making Christ the singular priority. The encounter underlines Jesus' teaching that one cannot serve both God and mammon; a choice must be made, and sometimes, that choice is heartbreakingly, eternally costly.