< Luke 18 >
1 Then Jesus told them a parable about the need to pray at all times and not lose heart.
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
3 There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 For a while he would not do so, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me out by continually coming to me.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Consider what this unrighteous judge said.
7 If even he ultimately rendered a just decision, will not God patiently listen to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night, and give them justice?
8 I tell you that he will bring about justice for them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
9 He also told this parable to some who were confident in their own righteous and regarded others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed like this: ‘God, I thank yoʋ that I am not like other people: swindlers, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week, and I give tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other one. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus so that he might touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who were bringing them,
16 but Jesus called for them 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 say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will certainly not enter it.”
18 Then a certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (aiōnios )
19 Jesus said to him, “Why do yoʋ call me good? No one is good except God alone.
20 Yoʋ know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Honor yoʋr father and yoʋr mother.’”
21 The man said, “I have kept all these commandments from the time I was a young boy.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing yoʋ still lack: Sell everything yoʋ have and distribute the money to the poor, and yoʋ will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me.”
23 But when the man heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was extremely rich.
24 When Jesus saw that the man had become very sorrowful, he said, “How difficult it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard this said, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28 Then Peter said, “Behold, we have left everything and followed yoʋ.”
29 Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house, parents, brothers, wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
30 who will not surely receive many times more in this present age—and in the age to come, eternal life.” (aiōn , aiōnios )
31 Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
32 For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked, insulted, and spit upon.
33 After flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.”
34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things; this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what was being said.
35 As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.
36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38 So he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Then those who were out in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 So Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man drew near, Jesus asked him,
41 “What do yoʋ want me to do for yoʋ?” He said, “Lord, I want to receive my sight.”
42 So Jesus said to him, “Receive yoʋr sight; yoʋr faith has healed yoʋ.”
43 Immediately he received his sight and began following Jesus, glorifying God. And when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.
