Luke 18

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 Thent Jesust told them a parable to show them they should alwayst pray and not lose heart.s2 He said,t “In a certain cityt there was a judges who neither feared God nor respected people.t3 There was also a widows in that cityt who kept comingt to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’4 Fort a while he refused, but later ont he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,t5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me outt by her unending pleas.’”t6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says!s7 Won’tt God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry outs to him day and night?t Will he delays long to help them?

8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily.t Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faiths on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

9 Jesust also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked downt on everyone else.10 “Two men went ups to the temple to pray, one a Pharisees and the other a tax collector.s11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this:t ‘God, I thanks you that I am not like other people:t extortionists,t unrighteous people,s adulterers – or even like this tax collector.s12 I fast twices a week; I give a tentht of everything I get.’13 The tax collector, however, stoodt far off and would not even look upt to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be mercifult to me, sinner that I am!’t

14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justifieds rather than the Pharisee.t For everyone who exaltss himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus and Little Children

15 Now peoplet were even bringing their babiest to him for him to touch.t But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.t16 But Jesus called for the children,t saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of Gods belongs to such as these.s

17 I tell you the truth,t whoever does not receives the kingdom of God like a childs will nevert enter it.”

The Wealthy Ruler

18 Nowt a certain rulers asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”s19 Jesust said to him, “Why do you call me good?s No one is good except God alone.20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”s21 The mant replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyedt all these lawsts since my youth.”s22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you haves and give the moneyt to the poor,s and you will have treasures in heaven. Thent come, follow me.”23 But when the mant heard this he became very sad,t for he was extremely wealthy.24 When Jesus noticed this,st he said, “How hards it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!s25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needles than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”26 Those who heard this said, “Thent who can be saved?”s27 He replied, “What is impossibles for mere humanst is possible for God.”28 And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we ownt to follow you!”t29 Thent Jesust said to them, “I tell you the truth,t there is no one who has left home or wife or brotherst or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom

30 who will not receive many times mores in this aget – and in the age to come, eternal life.”s

Another Prediction of Jesus’ Passion

31 Thent Jesust took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem,s and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.t32 For he will be handed overs to the Gentiles; he will be mocked,s mistreated,t and spat on.s33 They will flog him severelyt and kill him. Yett on the third day he will rise again.”

34 Butt the twelvet understood none of these things. Thist saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasps what Jesus meant.t

Healing a Blind Man

35 Ast Jesust approachedt Jericho,s a blind man was sitting by the road begging.36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was going on.37 Theyt told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.”38 Sot he called out,t “Jesus, Son of David,s have mercys on me!”39 And those who were in fronts scoldedt him to get him to be quiet, but he shouteds even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Sot Jesus stopped and ordered the beggart to be brought to him. When the mant came near, Jesust asked him,41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied,t “Lord, let me see again.”t42 Jesust said to him, “Receivet your sight; your faith has healed you.”t

43 And immediately he regainedt his sight and followed Jesus,t praisings God. Whent all the people saw it, they toot gave praise to God.

LUKE 18

A Widow and a Judge

1 Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up:
2 In a town there was once a judge who didn't fear God or care about people.

3 In that same town there was a widow who kept going to the judge and saying, “Make sure that I get fair treatment in court.”
4 For a while the judge refused to do anything. Finally, he said to himself, “Even though I don't fear God or care about people,

5 I will help this widow because she keeps on bothering me. If I don't help her, she will wear me out.”

6 The Lord said:
Think about what that crooked judge said. 7 t Won't God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won't he be concerned for them?

8 He will surely hurry and help them. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find on this earth anyone with faith?

A Pharisee //and a Tax Collector

9 Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:
10 Two men went into the temple to pray.t One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.t 11 The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, t “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there.

12 I go without eatingt for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”

13  t The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.”

14  t Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(Matthew 19.13-15; Mark 10.13-16)

17 You will never get into God's kingdom unless you enter it like a child!”

A Rich and Important Man

(Matthew 19.16-30; Mark 10.17-31)

18 An important man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?”
19 Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

20 t You know the commandments: ‘Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother.’ ”

21 He told Jesus, “I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said, “There is one thing you still need to do. Go and sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.”

23 When the man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.
24 Jesus saw how sad the man was. So he said, “It's terribly hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom!

25 In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”

26 When the crowd heard this, they asked, “How can anyone ever be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

28 Peter said, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”
29 Jesus answered, “You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom

30 will be given much more in this life. And in the future world they will have eternal life.”

Jesus Again Tells about //His Death

(Matthew 20.17-19; Mark 10.32-34)

31 Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said:
We are now on our way to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will happen there. 32 He will be handed over to foreigners, t who will make fun of him, mistreat him, and spit on him.

33 They will beat him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.

34 The apostles did not understand what Jesus was talking about. They could not understand, because the meaning of what he said was hidden from them.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

(Matthew 20.29-34; Mark 10.46-52)

39 The people who were going along with Jesus told the man to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and told some people to bring the blind man over to him. When the blind man was getting near, Jesus asked,

41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see!” he answered.
42 Jesus replied, “Look and you will see! Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” 43 At once the man could see, and he went with Jesus and started thanking God. When the crowds saw what happened, they praised God.