Luke 18
1 And he spoke to them a similitude also, that men should pray at all times, and not become weary.
[Jesus] told [his disciples] a parable to teach them that they always ought to pray confidently and not be discouraged [if God does not immediately answer their prayers].
2 There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, and regarded not men.
He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not revere God, and did not care about people, either.
3 And there was a certain widow in that city; and she came to him, and said: Vindicate me against my adversary.
There was a widow in that city who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Please decide what is just [in the dispute between me and] the man who is opposing me [in court!’]
4 And he would not, for a long time: but afterwards, he said to himself: Though I fear not God, and regard not men,
For a long time the judge refused [to help her]. But later he thought to himself, ‘I do not revere God and I do not care about people,
5 yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will vindicate her; that she may not be always coming and troubling me.
but this widow keeps bothering me! So I will make sure that she is treated justly. [If I do not do that], she will exhaust me by continually coming to me!’”
6 And our Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Then the Lord [Jesus] said, “[Even though] the judge was not a righteous man, think carefully about what he said!
7 And will not God, much more, vindicate his chosen, who call upon him by day and by night; and have patience with them?
[Similarly], (God will certainly show that [what you] have done has been right!/will God not show that [what you] have done has been right?) [RHQ] He will do this for you whom he has chosen. [He will do this for you] who pray earnestly to him night and day, asking him to [help you]. He may delay [helping you].
8 I tell you, He will vindicate them speedily. Yet the Son of man will come; and will he find faith on the earth?
But I tell you, [some day] he will show that what you did was right, and he will do it quickly. But when [I], the one who came from heaven, return to earth, (there may not be [many people who will still] be trusting [that I will vindicate them] (OR, who will still be trusting in me)./will there be [many people who will still] be trusting [that I will vindicate them] (OR, who will still be trusting in me)?) [RHQ]”
9 And he spake this similitude, against certain persons, who had confidence in themselves that they were righteous, and despised every one.
[Jesus] also told a parable [to warn] people who mistakenly thought that they were doing things that made them acceptable to God. Besides, they also despised other people.
10 Two men went up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[He said this]: “Two men went up to the Temple [in Jerusalem] to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.
11 And the Pharisee stood by himself, and prayed thus: God, I thank thee that I have not been like the rest of men, rapacious, oppressive, and adulterous; nor like this publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed silently, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men. [Some] extort money [from others]; some treat others unjustly; some commit adultery. [I do not do such things. And I am certainly not] like this tax collector [who cheats people]!
12 But I fast twice in a week, and tithe all I possess.
[Our law says that we(exc) should] (fast/abstain from food) [once a week], [but I do more than that. I] fast twice a week! I give [you] ten percent of all that I earn!’
13 And the publican stood afar off, and would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, and said: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
But the tax collector stood far [from the other people in the Temple courtyard because he felt very unworthy]. He would not even look up toward heaven. Instead, he beat on his chest [to show that he was sorry for his sin]. He said, ‘God, I am a sinner; be merciful to me [and forgive me]!’”
14 I say to you, that this man went down to his house justified, rather than the Pharisee. For every one that exalteth himself, will be humbled; and every one that humbleth himself, will be exalted.
[Then Jesus said], “I tell you [(pl)] that as the tax collector went home, the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}, not that of the Pharisee. [Remember this]: Those who exalt themselves will be humbled {[God] will humble all those who exalt themselves}, but those who humble themselves will be exalted {[he] will exalt those who humble themselves}.”
15 And they brought to him infants, that he might touch them: and his disciples saw them, and rebuked them.
[One day when many people were coming to Jesus], they were also bringing small children. They wanted him to put his hands on [the children and bless them]. When the disciples saw that, they rebuked [those who were bringing those children].
16 But Jesus called them, and said to them: Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of those that are like them, of such is the kingdom of heaven.
But Jesus called the children [to come to him]. He said to his disciples, “Let the children come to me! Do not stop them! It is people who are [humble and trusting] like they are who can experience God ruling [their lives].
17 Verily I say to you, That he who shall not receive the kingdom of God, as a little child, will not enter it.
Note this: Those who do not [trust God and] allow him to direct [their lives], as children [do], will not enter the [MET] place where God rules.”
18 And one of the chiefs asked him, and said to him: Good Teacher, what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life? (aiōnios g166)
A [Jewish] leader asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what shall I do in order to have eternal life?” (aiōnios g166)
19 Jesus said to him: Why callest thou me, good? For, there is none good, except one; God.
Jesus said to him, “Only God is good! No one [else] is good! (So you(sg) should consider carefully what [you are implying by] calling me good!/[Do you realize that you are implying that I am God by] calling me good?) [RHQ]
20 Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not kill; and thou shalt not commit adultery; and thou shalt not steal; and thou shalt not testify a false testimony; honor thy father and thy mother.
[But to answer your question], you [(sg)] know the commandments that [God gave Moses. He commanded such things as] ‘do not commit adultery, do not commit murder, do not steal, do not testify falsely [about what you have seen or heard], honor your father and mother.’”
21 He said to him: All these have I kept, from my childhood.
The man said, “I have obeyed all those [commandments] ever since I was young. [So] ([there must be something else I have not done./is that enough]?)”
22 And when Jesus heard these words, he said to him: One thing is lacking to thee: go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou wilt have a treasure in heaven; and come after me.
When Jesus heard [him say] that, he replied to him, “There is one thing that you [(sg)] have not [done] yet. Sell all that you own. Then give [the money] to poor people. [The result will be that] you will have [spiritual] riches in heaven. Then come and be my disciple!”
23 And he, when he heard these words, was dejected; for he was very rich.
The man became sad when he heard that, because he was very rich [and he did not want to give everything away].
24 And when Jesus saw that he was dejected, he said: How difficult it is, for those that have wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!
Jesus looked at the man [as he left], and said, “It is very difficult for those who are wealthy [to decide] to let God rule [MET] their [lives].
25 It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle, than a rich man the kingdom of God.
[You would say] that it is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It is [almost] as difficult [HYP] for rich people [to decide] to let God rule their [lives].”
26 They who heard it, said to him: Who then can have life?
[The Jews thought that God favored rich people, so they thought that if God did not save rich people, he would not save others, either]. So [one of the disciples] who heard him say that replied, “If that is so, it seems that no one will be saved {[that God] will not save anyone} [RHQ]!”
27 And Jesus said: Those things which, with men, cannot be, with God, can be.
But Jesus said, “It is impossible for people [to save themselves]. But [God can save them, because] God can do anything!”
28 Simon Cephas said to him: Lo, we have left every thing, and come after thee.
Then Peter said, “[You know that we(exc) have left] everything we had and have become your disciples [RHQ]. [So what about us?] (OR, [So will God accept/save us?]”)
29 Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you: There is no man, who hath left houses, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
He said to them, “Keep this in mind: Those who have left [their] homes, [their] wives, [their] brothers, [their] parents, [their] children, [or any other family members], [to tell others] about how God wants to rule [MET] [people’s lives],
31 And Jesus took his twelve, and said to them: Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and all the things written in the prophets, concerning the Son of man, will be fulfilled.
[Jesus] took the twelve [disciples] to a place by themselves and said to them, “Listen carefully! We [(inc)] are [now] going up to Jerusalem. [While we are there], everything that has been written by the prophets {that the prophets have written} about [me], the one who came from heaven, will be fulfilled {will occur}.
32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit in his face;
I will be put into the hands of {[My enemies] will hand me over to} non-Jews. [The non-Jews] will make fun of me and mistreat me and spit on me.
33 and will scourge him, and will treat him with ignominy, and will kill him; and, the third day, he will arise.
They will whip me, and [then] they will kill me. But on the third day [after that] I will become alive again.”
34 But not one of these things, did they understand; but this subject was hidden from them, and they knew not the things told to them.
But [the disciples] did not understand any of those things that [he said]. They were prevented {[Something] prevented them} from understanding the meaning of what [he] was telling [them].
35 And as they came near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the side of the way, begging.
As [Jesus and his disciples] came near to Jericho [city], a blind man was sitting beside the road. [He was] begging [for money].
36 And he heard the noise of the multitude that passed, and inquired what it was.
When he heard the crowd [of people] passing by, he asked someone, “What is happening?”
37 They say to him: Jesus the Nazarean is passing by.
They told him, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth [town], is passing by.”
38 And he called out, and said: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
He shouted, “Jesus, [you who are] descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
39 And they that went before Jesus rebuked him, that he might be silent. But he cried out the more, Son of David, have mercy on me.
Those who were [walking] at the front [of the crowd] scolded the man [and] told him to be quiet. But he shouted more loudly, “You who are descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be called to him. And when he came to him, he asked him,
Jesus stopped and told [people] to bring the man to him. When [the blind man] came near, Jesus asked him,
41 and said to him: What wilt thou, that I do for thee? And he said: My Lord, that I may see.
“What do you [(sg)] want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, enable me to see [again]!”
42 And Jesus said to him: See thou; thy faith hath vivified thee.
Jesus said to him, “[Then] see! Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me], [I] have healed you!”
43 And immediately he saw. And he followed after him, and glorified God. And all the people who beheld, gave glory to God.
Immediately he was able to see! And he went with [Jesus], praising God. And when all the people who were [going with Jesus] saw it, they also praised God.
