Matthew 19:16

Let me tell you what Jesus said in this verse.  You see the KJV is a bad translation. Why is it a bad translation? It is very accurate according to the Received Text from which it was translated. The Greek word agaye is present and correctly translated. Here is the verse from one of five Greek New Testaments, all of which contain agaye(good).

Matthew 19:16:

“kai  idou  eiv  proselywn  eipen  autw didaskale agaye(good)  ti  agayon(good thing) poihsw  ina  ecw zwhn aiwnion

Jesus here was replying to the man who asked him the question in v. 16. The KJV says the verse says this. (Matthew 19:16 KJV)  "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

But this word "good" here is not in the MSS.

That is because the Greek word, translated good,  is not in the Nestle's Alund text, from which most of the copyrighted Bibles are translated. But it is in the Received Text.

Bullinger's Companion Bible will verify this and a GNT will also.

The KJV and Berry's Interlinear Greek‑English New Testament refutes the above.

Therefore the man did not call Jesus "good." Therefore Jesus did not say, "why do you call me "good."

Here is a better translation of the two verses. On what authority?

(Matthew 19:16‑17 RSV) 

"And behold, one came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?’ {17} And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.""

“And behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good: but if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17; ASV)

“And behold, one came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?’ And He said to him, ‘Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is {only} One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’” (Matthew 19:16; NAS)

“And someone came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?’ And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is {only} One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:16-17; NAU)

“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.’” (Matthew 19:16-17, NIV)

“And behold, one came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.’” (Matthew 19:16-17; RSV)

“Now, it happened that one approached Him, and said, ‘Teacher! What beneficent act shall I do, in order that I may secure everlasting life?’ ‘Why,’ He said in reply to him, ‘have you asked Me about beneficicence? Beneficence is single! There is but One alone Who is beneficent, But if you would enter into life, keep the commands.’” (Matthew 16-17; Ferror Fenton Translation)

Jesus is saying, there is one way that is "good" and that is the Law of God. He first told the man to obey the “Commandments,” which all of the Laws, Statutes, and Judgments of Yahweh. Then when the man insisted on a different answer He told him to obey the six different commandments, but that did not negate, or disannul His former statement to obey the “commandments.”