Matthew 19:29 Meaning: Leaving All for His Name
Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.
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.
And every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.
and every one who left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for my name's sake, an hundredfold shall receive, and life age-during shall inherit;
And every one who has left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit life eternal.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus promises a hundredfold reward now and eternal life to those who leave everything for His sake. The repayment is real, though not always in kind.
Context
This verse comes right after a hard conversation. A rich young man had walked away from Jesus because he could not let go of his possessions. The disciples were stunned, wondering who could possibly be saved. Then Peter spoke up: We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? Jesus answered him, and then He opened the promise to everyone who would ever follow Him. The whole chapter is about what it costs to enter the kingdom, and what it pays.
Key Words
The Greek word for has left is aphēken, a form of aphiēmi that means to send away, release, or let go. It is not a cold abandoning; it is a willing release of something you hold dear when that thing stands between you and Christ.
The promise a hundredfold (hekatontaplasiona) is a lavish number. A farmer who got a hundred times his seed back would be stunned. Jesus is saying the return on your loss is not modest, it is overwhelming.
And then inherit (klēronomeō) is a legal word. You do not earn an inheritance; you receive it because you belong to the family. Eternal life is not wages for sacrifice; it is your Father's gift to His children.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long asked whether this hundredfold is literal or spiritual. John Calvin observed that many who lost everything for Christ ended up poor and alone, yet he insisted they received something more valuable than all the world's riches: the immediate grace of God. Matthew Henry spoke of inward joy, peace, and a contented spirit as the hundredfold. John Wesley put it plainly: the reward is in value, though not in kind. Other interpreters point to Mark's Gospel, where Jesus adds the phrase with persecutions, suggesting the hundredfold includes both blessing and ongoing struggle. The consensus across traditions is that Christ repays loss with something far greater, whether in this life or the next.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as a promise of material wealth, that if you give up a house or land, God will give you a hundred houses or a hundred acres. In fact, most commentators agree that the hundredfold is not necessarily literal property. As John Wesley put it, the reward comes in value, though not in kind. You may gain a new spiritual family, deep contentment, and God's provision, not necessarily a bigger bank account.
Living This Out
Perhaps this week you face a choice where following Jesus could cost you a relationship, a comfort, or a dream. It might be a friendship that pulls you away from faith, or a job that demands your whole heart. This verse does not say the loss will be easy. But it does say that whatever you release for His sake, He will repay in ways you cannot calculate. You might find a new community in His family that feels richer than the one you left. You might discover a peace that no amount of money can buy. Trust Him with what you hold. He knows how to multiply what you give up.
Main takeaway: No sacrifice made for Jesus is ever lost; He returns it multiplied in this life and seals it with eternal life.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
If you give up your favorite toy because it makes you fight with your brother, God sees that. He promises to give you back something even better, like more love and joy in your family.
For ages 9, 12
Following Jesus might mean losing friends or missing out on popular things. But Jesus promises that whatever you give up for Him, He gives back a hundred times more. Not always the same thing, but something far better: a new family of believers, deep peace, and eternal life. You never lose when you follow Him.
Questions People Ask
Does this mean I have to literally abandon my family to follow Jesus?
Not necessarily. Jesus is talking about a heart that is ready to put Him first even when family ties pull against that. In other passages He says to honor parents and care for family. The leaving here is about priority, not necessarily physical departure.
Is the hundredfold promise about money?
Most Christian teachers say no. John Wesley called it a reward 'in value, though not in kind.' You may not get a hundred houses, but you gain spiritual riches, a new family in Christ, deep contentment, and God's faithful provision. Mark's Gospel adds 'with persecutions,' so it is not an easy life, but a blessed one.
Does this promise apply to every believer or only the apostles?
The verse begins with 'everyone who has left... for My name's sake,' so Jesus opened the promise to all who follow Him. The apostles received a special promise of thrones (verse 28), but the hundredfold and eternal life are for every disciple.
What does 'for my name's sake' mean?
It means because you belong to Christ, because you love Him and identify with Him. When you suffer loss because of your faith, not just because of life's normal troubles, Jesus counts that as done for His name. He sees it and will repay.
How do I leave 'lands' or 'houses' without physically moving?
You can leave something by holding it loosely. If your house or land becomes an idol or a reason to disobey Christ, you are called to release it in your heart even if you still live there. The key is the disposition of your heart, not just the outward act.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study