Luke 18

Justice for the faithful

1 Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged.2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people.3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary.’4 For a while he refused but finally said to himself, I don’t fear God or respect people,5 but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me."6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.7 Won’t God provide justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them?

8 I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Human Onet comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?"

The Pharisee and the tax collector

9 Jesus told this parable to certain people who had convinced themselves that they were righteous and who looked on everyone else with disgust.10 "Two people went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like everyone else—crooks, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.12 I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’

14 I tell you, this person went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up."

Jesus blesses children

15 People were bringing babies to Jesus so that he would bless them. When the disciples saw this, they scolded them.16 Then Jesus called them to him and said, "Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people like these children.

17 I assure you that whoever doesn’t welcome God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it."

A rich man’s question

18 A certain ruler asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?"
19 Jesus replied, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God.

20 You know the commandments. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Honor your father and mother. "t

21 Then the ruler said, "I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy."
22 When Jesus heard this, he said, "There’s one more thing. Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me."

23 When he heard these words, the man became sad because he was extremely rich.
24 When Jesus saw this, he said, "It’s very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!

25 It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom."

26 Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"

27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible for humans is possible for God."

28 Peter said, "Look, we left everything we own and followed you."
29 Jesus said to them, "I assure you that anyone who has left house, husband, wife, brothers, sisters, parents, or children because of God’s kingdom

30 will receive many times more in this age and eternal life in the coming age."

Jesus predicts his death and resurrection

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and said, "Look, we’re going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Human Onet by the prophets will be accomplished.32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He will be ridiculed, mistreated, and spit on.33 After torturing him, they will kill him. On the third day, he will rise up."

34 But the Twelve understood none of these words. The meaning of this message was hidden from them and they didn’t grasp what he was saying.

A blind man is healed

35 As Jesus came to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the road begging.36 When the man heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was happening.

37 They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is passing by."
38 The blind man shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy."

39 Those leading the procession scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, "Son of David, show me mercy."
40 Jesus stopped and called for the man to be brought to him. When he was present Jesus asked,

41 "What do you want me to do for you?"
He said, "Lord, I want to see."
42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight! Your faith has healed you."

43 At once, he was able to see and he began to follow Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they praised God too.

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.