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18 And He also spoke a parable to them showing that they ought always to pray and not grow weary,

He said, “There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected man.

“And there was a widow in that city who came to him saying, ‘Do me justice against my adversary.’

“And he would not do so for some time. But then, he said to himself, ‘I neither fear God nor respect man.

‘Yet because this widow troubles me I will do her right, lest she keeps coming and makes me weary.’”

And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.

“Now, shall not God avenge His Elect, who cry day and night to Him, even though He bears with them a long time?

“I tell you, He will avenge them quickly! But, when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the Earth?”

He also spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves (that they were just) and despised others.

10 “Two men went up into the Temple to pray - the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 “The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘O God, I thank You that I am not as other men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers - or even as this tax collector.

12 ‘I fast twice a week. I give tithe of all that ever I possess.’

13 “But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven. But he struck his breast, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you, this man departed to his house more justified than the other. For everyone who exalts himself shall be brought low. And the one who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

15 They also brought little children to Him, so that He could touch them. And when His disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16 But Jesus called them to Him, and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them. For of such is the Kingdom of God.

17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter therein.”

18 Then a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Master, what ought I to do to inherit eternal life?”

19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One - God.

20 “You know the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother.”

21 And he said, “All these have I kept from my youth!”

22 Now when Jesus heard that, He said to him, “Still, you lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor. And you shall have treasure in Heaven. And come follow Me.”

23 But when he heard those things, he was very sorrowful. For he was very rich.

24 And when Jesus saw he was very sorrowful, He said, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!

25 “Surely it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”

26 Then those who heard it said, “And who then shall be saved?”

27 And He said, “The things which are impossible with man are possible with God.”

28 Then Peter said, “Lo, we have left all and have followed You.”

29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you there is no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom of God’s sake,

30 “who shall not receive much more in this world - and in the world to come, eternal life.”

31 Then Jesus took the twelve to Him and said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem. And all things that are written of the Son of Man by the Prophets shall be fulfilled.

32 “For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shall be mistreated, and shall be spit upon.

33 “And when they have scourged Him, they will put Him to death. But the third day He shall rise again.”

34 But they understood none of these things. And this saying was hidden from them. Nor did they perceive the things which were spoken.

35 And it happened that as He came near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging.

36 And when he heard the people pass by, he asked what it meant.

37 And they said to him that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.

38 Then he cried, saying, “Jesus, the Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

39 And those who went before ordered him to be quiet. But he cried much more, “O, Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

40 And Jesus stood still. And He commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him,

41 saying, “What would you have Me do for you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.

43 Then immediately he received his sight and followed Him, praising God. And all the people, when they saw, gave praise to God.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.(A) He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice(B) against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”(C)

And the Lord(D) said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out(E) to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man(F) comes,(G) will he find faith on the earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

To some who were confident of their own righteousness(H) and looked down on everyone else,(I) Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray,(J) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself(K) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(L) twice a week and give a tenth(M) of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast(N) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’(O)

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(P)

The Little Children and Jesus(Q)

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child(R) will never enter it.”

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(S)

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(T)

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a](U)

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,(V) and you will have treasure in heaven.(W) Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!(X) 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(Y)

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”(Z)

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come(AA) eternal life.”(AB)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(AC)

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem,(AD) and everything that is written by the prophets(AE) about the Son of Man(AF) will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles.(AG) They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him(AH) and kill him.(AI) On the third day(AJ) he will rise again.”(AK)

34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.(AL)

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight(AM)

35 As Jesus approached Jericho,(AN) a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”(AO)

38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David,(AP) have mercy(AQ) on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”(AR)

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”(AS) 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20