A man runs to him, addressing him as "good teacher" and asks how he inherits eternal life.
Mark 10:18 Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Mark 10:18 Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.
Why call me capable? No one is capable except one--the Divine
There are two words commonly translated as "good' in the Gospels. The one used here has the sense of "capable." (see this article about those words). Strangely, neither of these "good" words are used to describe God except in this verse and the parallel one in Luke 18:19 that has the same vocabulary. In the similar verse in Matthew 19:17, God is not mentioned.
However, Jesus doesn't even say "God is good" here, at least, not directly. There is no verb connecting "God" with "good." It can be assumed because "no one," "good," and "the Divine" are all in the form of a subject with no related verb. The verb "to be" is usually assumed in this case.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "there is" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "but."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that is" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "God" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "lo" should be something more like "look."
Why -- The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
callest - The word translated as "callest" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to boast of," which fits its use here. The form is second-person singular.
thou -- The "thou" is from the sccond person, singular form of the verb.
me -- The "me" is the object of the verb.
good? -- The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. An article on "good" is here.
there is - -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "there is" in the Greek source.
none -- The Greek word translated as "none" also means "nothing" and other negatives nouns.
good -- The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. An article on "good" is here.
but --- (CW) "But" is from two Greek words are translated as "except." Literally, they mean "if not" but this phrase is used to mean "except," "instead," and "but." Except this is not the word usually translated as "but."
one, The "one" is the number, which can also be used like a pronoun. However, the same word is an adjective form of
that is, -- -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that is" in the Greek source.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. The only difference between this version and Luke's is that Luke lacks the article.
Why -- The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
do -- This English helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in translation from Greek
you -- The "you" is from the sccond-person, singular form of the verb.
call - The word translated as "call" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to boast of," which fits its use here. The form is second-person singular.
me -- The "me" is the object of the verb.
good? -- The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. An article on "good" is here.
No one -- The Greek word translated as "no one" also means "nothing" and other negatives nouns.
is -- There is no verb "is" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.
good -- The adjective translated as "good" means "useful", "worthwhile," and "of high quality. An article on "good" is here.
except --- "Except " is from two Greek words are translated as "except." Literally, they mean "if not" but this phrase is used to mean "except," "instead," and "but." Except this is not the word usually translated as "but."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
God. -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. The only difference between this version and Luke's is that Luke lacks the article.
alone. - (WW) The "alone" is the number, "one," which can also be used like a pronoun. This in not the word translated as "alone."
Τί [252 verses]((irreg sg neut nom) "Why" is tis, which can mean "someone," "something," "any one," "everyone," "they [indefinite]," "many a one," "whoever," "anyone," "anything," "some sort," "some sort of," "each," "any," "the individual," "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," "why," or "what." Plural, "who are" is τίνες ἐόντες. It has specific meanings with certain prepositions, διὰ τί; for what reason? ἐκ τίνος; from what cause? ἐς τί; to what point? to what end?
με [49 verses](pron 1st sg masc acc ) "Me" is from eme, which means "I", "me", and "my". --
λέγεις [264 verses](verb 2nd sg pres ind act) "Callest thou" is lego, which means "to recount", "to tell over", "to say", "to speak", "to teach", "to mean", "boast of", "tell of", "recite," nominate," and "command." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself", "pick up", "gather", "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay", "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep." When there are two direct objects (accusative) the sense is "call person/thing name"
ἀγαθόν; [23 verses](adj sg masc acc) "Good" is from agathos which means "good" and, when applied to people, "well-born", "gentle", "brave," and "capable." When applied to things, it means "serviceable", "morally good," and "beneficial."
οὐδεὶς [69 verses](adj sg masc nom) "No man" is oudeis which means "no one", "not one", "nothing", "naught", "good for naught," and "no matter."
ἀγαθὸς [23 verses](adj sg masc nom) "Good" is from agathos which means "good" and, when applied to people, "well-born", "gentle", "brave," and "capable." When applied to things, it means "serviceable", "morally good," and "beneficial."
εἰ μὴ [14 verses](conj particle)"Except" is ei me, which is the conjunction that means "if not", "but," and "except." εἰ is the particle use with the imperative usually to express conditions "if" or indirect questions, "whether." mê (me) is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no."
εἷς [85 verses](noun sg masc nom) "One" is heis, which means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same." As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person. OR ( part sg aor act masc nom) "One" is hiemi a verb meaning to "release," "speak," "throw," "shoot," "send," "go," and [of water] "flow" or "spout,"
[ὁ] [821 verses](article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
θεός. [144 verses](noun sg masc nom) "God" is theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity." -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods.