A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 10:25

"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" — Luke 10:25 (ASV)

And tempted him (εκπειραζων αυτον). Present active participle, conative idea, trying to tempt him. There is no "and" in the Greek. He "stood up (ανεστη, ingressive second aorist active) trying to tempt him." Πειραζω is a late form of πειραω and εκπειραζω apparently only in the LXX, and N.T. (quoted by Jesus from De 6:16 in Mt 4:7; Luke 4:12 against Satan). Here and 1 Corinthians 10:9. The spirit of this lawyer was evil. He wanted to entrap Jesus if possible.

What shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Τ ποιησας ζωην αιωνιου κληρονομησω; ). Literally, "By doing what shall I inherit eternal life?" Note the emphasis on "doing" (ποιησας). The form of his question shows a wrong idea as to how to get it.

Eternal life (ζωην αιωνιον) is endless life as in John's Gospel (John 16:9; 18:18,30) and in Mt 25:46, which see.