Matthew 19:16–17
KJV Reading Defended
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Why the KJV Reading Is Retained
The KJV wording is the Byzantine majority form and is supported by significant versional and patristic evidence. It also agrees closely with the undisputed parallel wording in Mark and Luke, preserving the familiar exchange in which Christ directs attention to the goodness of God.
Disputed unit
Two coupled units: the address in verse 16 (“Good Master”) and the answer in verse 17 (“Why callest thou me good? none is good but one, that is, God”).
Evidence assessment
Verses 16 and 17 vary independently. The exact KJV pair is the Byzantine form, carried by Codex Ephraemi, Cyprius, Washingtonianus, Sangallensis, Family 13 and a substantial minuscule group. Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Bezae and Regius carry the competing pair, and Koridethi, 700, much of the Latin tradition and the Old Syriac combine a traditional verse 16 with a competing verse 17.
Primary support for the KJV reading
Byzantine support at both units
King James Bible reading
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Evidence sources
Sources used for the witnesses, readings, dates, and notes on this page. Complete citations appear in the References section at the end of the page.
Governing apparatus and count scope
Willker's selected Matthew apparatus, checked against the Münster-linked verse apparatus and, at Matthew 27:35, against a primary transcription. Counts below name the witnesses this apparatus prints.
Earliest KJV-supporting evidence
Verse 16 — traditional question
Mid-second century — Justin Martyr, traditional core in a mixed form. Justin knows the traditional question, although his complete wording is not identical to the KJV.
Earliest surviving Greek support: Fifth century — Codices C and W.
Verse 17 — traditional answer
Fifth century — Codices C and W preserve the traditional wording of the second textual unit.
Earliest surviving Greek support: Fifth century — Codices C and W.
Primary support for the KJV reading
The sections below preserve each supporting, competing, and related record under its proper evidence type.
Majority Text standing
The traditional wording in verses 16 and 17
The KJV/TR pair is the numerical Byzantine majority form at both linked units.
Estimated Greek support: Approximately 1,400 to 1,600 Greek manuscripts
This is a conservative working estimate based on the published Majority or Byzantine designation and the approximate number of continuous-text manuscripts that preserve the book. Lacunae and collation scope make the exact denominator vary by verse.
Source scope and denominator
Willker's selected Matthew apparatus, checked against the Münster-linked verse apparatus and, at Matthew 27:35, against a primary transcription. Counts below name the witnesses this apparatus prints.
Greek support in the cited corpus
16 named Greek witnesses at verse 16 and 13 at verse 17, plus Family 13 and the Byzantine tradition
Greek competing evidence in the cited corpus
6 named Greek witnesses at verse 16 and 10 at verse 17, plus Family 1
Principal competing witnesses named in the snapshot
Evidence represented on this page
Greek manuscripts
Represented
Ancient versions
Represented
Church fathers
Represented
Printed editions
No entry listed
Complete source-scoped roster
This roster preserves every named or grouped state recovered in the governing sources, including exact readings, competing readings, corrections, related forms, lacunae, versions, and aggregate traditions. When Maj or Byz appears on the KJV side, it marks the numerically dominant Greek transmission at that unit. The green Majority Text card above supplies the best available passage-specific estimate. The grouped siglum is then retained so it is not mistaken for one individual manuscript.
Apparatus and roster scope
Willker's selected Matthew apparatus, checked against the Münster-linked verse apparatus and, at Matthew 27:35, against a primary transcription. Counts below name the witnesses this apparatus prints.
KJV/TR unit: διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω…
04 017 032 037 038 28 33 118 372 565 579 700 892mg 1071 1241 2737
Grouped evidence: Family 13 · Byz
Sinaitic Curetonian Christian-Palestinian-Aramaic Bohairic-strand mae-1
Grouped evidence: much of the Latin tradition
διδάσκαλε, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω…
01 03 05 019 22 892*
Grouped evidence: Family 1 · several further manuscripts cited collectively
Bohairic-strand Georgian Ethiopic
Grouped evidence: some Old Latin
KJV/TR unit: τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός
04 017 032 037 28 33 118 372 565 1071 1241 1424 2737
Grouped evidence: Family 13 · Byz
Peshitta Harklean Sahidic
the traditional answer without λέγεις
05
τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός
01 03C 05 019 038 22 700 892* 1192* 1424mg
Grouped evidence: Family 1 · five further manuscripts cited collectively
Sinaitic Curetonian Christian-Palestinian-Aramaic Bohairic-strand mae-1
a (VL3) d (VL5)
the competing question with “God” or “Father” added at the end
Grouped evidence: Latin tradition
Precisely located citations and additional names reported by the controlling apparatus are kept separate. An apparatus-level attribution is not presented as an independently verified exact quotation.
First Apology 16
has “Good Master” and “None is good but God only”
Locator: Justin, First Apology
Open sourceDialogue with Trypho 101
addresses Jesus as “Good Master” and gives “Why do you call me good? One is good, my Father in heaven,” a form not identical to either full Greek endpoint
Locator: Justin, Dialogue 101
Open sourcePaedagogus 1.8 and Stromata 5.63.8
Close quotation in Paedagogus 1.8 and Stromata 5.63.8.
Locator: Paedagogus 1.8; Stromateis 5.63.8
Open sourcemultiple citations summarized in the Matthew apparatus
Origen is attested on both sides and must not be entered as a single-direction witness
Locator: Willker, Matthew
Open sourceCommentary on Matthew 15.14
Direct quotation in Commentary on Matthew 15.14.
Locator: Commentarium in Matthaeum 15.14
Open sourceHarmony of the Gospels 2.63
Textual comment in Harmony of the Gospels 2.63.
Locator: De consensu evangelistarum 2.63
Open sourceRoster distinctions
Evidence notes
Evidence assessment
Verses 16 and 17 vary independently. The exact KJV pair is the Byzantine form, carried by Codex Ephraemi, Cyprius, Washingtonianus, Sangallensis, Family 13 and a substantial minuscule group. Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Bezae and Regius carry the competing pair, and Koridethi, 700, much of the Latin tradition and the Old Syriac combine a traditional verse 16 with a competing verse 17.
Primary support for the KJV reading
Byzantine support at both units
Evidence represented on this page
References
Willker, Wieland. A Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels. Vol. 1, Matthew. 12th ed. Bremen, 2015.
Justin Martyr. The First Apology, §16. In Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1.
Justin Martyr. Dialogue with Trypho, §101. In Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1.
Wieland Willker, A Textual Commentary on the Greek Gospels, Vol. 1: Matthew. TVU 257, PDF p. 403.
INTF Kurzgefasste Liste / NTVMR manuscript metadata. Physical dates for the named Greek manuscripts.
Vetus Latina Gospel manuscripts register (ITSEE, University of Birmingham). Identity and physical date of the named Old Latin manuscripts.
British Library Archives and Manuscripts record, Curetonian Syriac (Add MS 14451). Physical date of the Curetonian manuscript, c. AD 450–470.
Wieland Willker, study of Middle Egyptian mae-2 (Schøyen MS 2650). Identity and date of mae-1 (Codex Scheide).
New Advent Fathers of the Church. Augustine, De consensu evangelistarum 2.63.