Matthew 19:29 kjv
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Matthew 19:29 nkjv
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 niv
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 esv
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 nlt
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 10:29-30 | Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” | Parallel verse, explicitly stating reward "now in this time" and "with persecutions." |
| Lk 18:29-30 | And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” | Parallel verse, emphasizes "for the sake of the kingdom of God" and "many times more." |
| Lk 14:26 | “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." | Radical call to prioritize Christ above all family, even to the point of "hate" (meaning relative devotion). |
| Deut 33:9 | "Who said of his father and mother, 'I regard them not'; he disowned his brothers and ignored his children. For they observed your word and kept your covenant." | Levites' prioritizing God's covenant over family ties (context of idol worship), an Old Testament precedent. |
| Matt 10:37 | "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." | Direct command to love Christ supremely over family. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ... I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." | Paul's example of counting all earthly advantages as rubbish for Christ. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." | Prioritizing God's kingdom leads to material provision and blessings. |
| Lk 12:33 | "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys." | Sacrifice of wealth for heavenly treasure, correlating earthly renunciation with eternal reward. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." | Investing in spiritual eternal values over perishable earthly ones. |
| 1 Tim 4:8 | "For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of great value in every way, possessing promise for the present life and also for the life to come." | Godliness promises reward in this life and the life to come. |
| Heb 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." | God as a rewarder of faith and seeking Him. |
| 2 Pet 1:3-4 | "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness... through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises." | Divine power provides everything needed for life and godliness, including promises. |
| Jn 3:16 | "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." | Defines "eternal life" as the ultimate gift through belief in Christ. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | Contrasts death for sin with eternal life as God's gift through Christ. |
| 1 Tim 6:12 | "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..." | Emphasizes actively "taking hold" of eternal life as a present and future reality. |
| Lk 9:23 | "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." | General principle of self-denial and costly discipleship. |
| Matt 16:25 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." | Paradoxical gain through losing for Christ's sake, encompassing ultimate sacrifice. |
| Mk 3:31-35 | Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him... "Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” | Jesus defines spiritual family ties as stronger than blood ties for those who obey God's will. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." | Describes the transformation into a "new creation," often resulting in altered priorities and relationships. |
| Jn 10:10 | "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." | "Hundredfold" reward aligns with Christ's promise of abundant life. |
| Eph 1:3 | "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." | Heavenly spiritual blessings for those in Christ, signifying an elevated form of prosperity. |
| Isa 54:1 | "Sing, O barren one, who does not bear... For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. | Prophecy of abundant spiritual offspring/community for those previously isolated or desolate. |
Matthew 19 verses
Matthew 19 29 Meaning
Matthew 19:29 teaches that those who make significant sacrifices of earthly possessions and relationships, specifically family ties, houses, and lands, for the sake of following Jesus Christ will receive an abundant and superior spiritual and communal recompense, even in this present life, and ultimately inherit eternal life with God. It emphasizes that dedication to Christ must surpass all worldly attachments and that such commitment will be incomparably rewarded by God.
Matthew 19 29 Context
Matthew 19:29 directly follows Peter's question to Jesus in Matt 19:27, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" This question arises immediately after the encounter with the rich young ruler, who walked away sad because he was unwilling to part with his great possessions to follow Jesus (Matt 19:16-22). Jesus had then taught His disciples about the extreme difficulty for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 19:23-26), emphasizing that "with God all things are possible" (Matt 19:26).
Verse 28 reassures the twelve apostles specifically about their role in the new age, ruling on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, in verse 29, Jesus broadens this promise from the specific role of the apostles to a universal principle applicable to every disciple. The passage as a whole is embedded within Jesus' teachings on discipleship, the cost of following Him, and the ultimate reward of the Kingdom of God. It underlines the radical nature of true discipleship, demanding a fundamental reordering of loyalties and priorities, placing Jesus and His Kingdom above all earthly attachments and securities. Historically, for a first-century Jew, family, land, and house were foundational to identity, security, and inheritance within the patriarchal and tribal society. To forsake these was an incredibly challenging demand.
Matthew 19 29 Word analysis
- And every one (Καὶ πᾶς - Kai pas): "And" connects this promise to the previous one to the apostles, indicating a continuation but also an expansion. "Every one" (πᾶς) makes the promise universal, applying not just to the chosen Twelve, but to any person who fulfills the stated conditions. This universality underscores God's generous character.
- that hath forsaken (ὅς ἀφῆκεν - hos aphēken): The verb ἀφῆκεν (apheken) implies a decisive, intentional act of abandoning or letting go. It's not passive neglect but a purposeful separation. This 'forsaking' is understood in the context of prioritizing Christ, meaning holding one's life, family, and possessions loosely, willing to give them up when they conflict with allegiance to Him. It might not always mean a physical departure from family or property, but rather a mental and spiritual detachment and a redirection of ultimate loyalty.
- houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands: This exhaustive list covers the primary pillars of first-century Jewish life: material security (houses, lands) and social/relational identity (all forms of family, including wife, which Mk 10:29-30 also includes and Lk 18:29 omits, possibly highlighting the particular challenges of married discipleship, as marriage was a common Jewish expectation, but can also symbolize willingness to let go of any earthly relationship if it impedes spiritual fidelity). This catalog demonstrates the comprehensiveness of the sacrifice called for – all that is held dear and provides security.
- for my name's sake (ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἐμοῦ ὀνόματος - heneken tou emou onomatos): This is the crucial qualification, defining the motive. "For my name's sake" means on account of Jesus' person, authority, and divine mission; it signifies acting for Him, out of devotion to Him, or in recognition of Him as Messiah and Lord. The "name" encapsulates His whole being, character, and redemptive work. The sacrifice is not for asceticism or personal gain, but purely out of love and loyalty to Jesus.
- shall receive (λήμψεται - lēpsetai): Future tense, active voice. It conveys certainty and direct divine action. This is a promise from God Himself.
- an hundredfold (ἑκατονταπλασίονα - hekatontaplasiōna): Literally "one hundred times." This signifies an immensely rich, overflowing, and disproportionate reward, far exceeding the initial sacrifice. Mark's parallel (Mk 10:30) specifies "now in this time... with persecutions," meaning the reward is both in the present age (spiritual family, deeper joy, God's provision) and in the age to come. This "hundredfold" reward is primarily qualitative and spiritual (e.g., spiritual family in the church far exceeding biological family, true security in God replacing material possessions), not merely quantitative in a literal earthly sense.
- and shall inherit (καὶ κληρονομήσει - kai klēronomēsei): Another future tense, indicating assured receipt. "Inherit" (κληρονομήσει) implies a legal right and a divinely promised share, typically belonging to heirs. It emphasizes security and rightful possession of something eternally valuable.
- everlasting life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον - zōēn aiōnion): The ultimate, crowning reward. This is not merely unending existence but a new quality of life – the very life of God Himself, a life in full fellowship and communion with Him, initiated now and perfected in eternity. This quality of life transcends time and the physical realm, encompassing salvation, righteousness, and blessedness.
Matthew 19 29 Bonus section
The inclusion of "wife" in Matthew's and Mark's account (but not Luke's) is significant, particularly in the context of Jesus' earlier discussion on divorce in Matt 19:1-12. It underscores the intensely personal and sometimes agonizing choice to prioritize Christ even over one's spouse if the spouse impedes faith, or simply signifying the ultimate extent of absolute dedication required where no earthly relationship is to be held as ultimately superior to one's bond with Christ. It's not a command to abandon marriage but a test of ultimate allegiance.
The concept of the "hundredfold" reward also has implications for Christian community. Those who sacrifice biological family often find an expanded spiritual family within the church, where brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers in Christ provide support and belonging that transcends natural ties. This transformation points to the nature of the Kingdom of God, which redefines family based on spiritual lineage rather than solely on bloodlines, echoing Jesus' words about those who do God's will being His true family (Matt 12:49-50; Mk 3:34-35).
Matthew 19 29 Commentary
Matthew 19:29 reveals the radical and comprehensive demand of Christian discipleship, mirroring Jesus' previous teachings on prioritizing Him above all. It's a divine paradox: to gain everything, one must be willing to lose everything. The rich young ruler’s failure to embrace this principle highlights the contrast with true discipleship. Jesus assures that those who truly give up worldly comforts, wealth, and even their most intimate family relationships for His sake—that is, out of genuine allegiance to Him—will experience an unparalleled return. This "hundredfold" reward is understood primarily as a spiritual abundance: deeper relationships within the spiritual family of the church, inner peace, divine provision, and a profound joy that surpasses earthly satisfaction. This earthly recompense, often amidst persecutions (as noted in Mark's parallel), is merely a foretaste of the ultimate prize: "everlasting life," which denotes a full, unending, and qualitative existence in perfect communion with God. This verse underscores that following Christ is not about austerity for its own sake, but about reordering one’s loyalties entirely towards God, recognizing His supreme worth and the surpassing value of His Kingdom, and trusting in His unfailing promises.