Luke 18
1 [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].
Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never despair.
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not revere God, and did not care about people, either.
“There was,” he said, “in a certain town a judge, who had no fear of God nor regard for man.
3 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!’]
In the same town there was a widow who went to him again and again, and said ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’
4 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,
For a time the judge refused, but afterwards he said to himself ‘Although I am without fear of God or regard for man,
5 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!’”
yet, as this widow is so troublesome, I will grant her justice, to stop her from plaguing me with her endless visits.’”
6 Then the Lord [Jesus] said, “[Even though] the judge was not a righteous man, think carefully about what he said!
Then the Master added: “Listen to what this iniquitous judge says!
7 [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].
And God — will not he see that his own People, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them — though he holds his hand?
8 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]”
He will, I tell you, have justice done them, and that soon! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
9 [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.
Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded every one else with scorn, Jesus told this parable —
10 [He said this]: “Two men went up to the Temple [in Jerusalem] to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.
“Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer.
11 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]!
The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way — ‘O God, I thank thee that I am not like other men — thieves, rogues, adulterers — or even like this tax-gatherer.
12 [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!’
I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.’
13 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]!’”
Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even ‘to raise his eyes to Heaven’; but he kept striking his breast and saying ‘O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 [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}.”
This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted.”
15 [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].
Some of the people were bringing even their babies to Jesus, for him to touch them; but, when the disciples saw it, they began to find fault with those who had brought them.
16 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].
Jesus, however, called the little children to him. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “and do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.
17 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.”
I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all.”
18 A [Jewish] leader asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what shall I do in order to have eternal life?” (aiōnios g166)
And one of the Presidents asked Jesus this question — “Good Teacher, what must I do if I am to gain Immortal Life?” (aiōnios g166)
19 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]
“Why do you call me good?” answered Jesus. “No one is good but God.
20 [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.’”
You know the commandments — ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not say what is false about others, Honour thy father and thy mother.’”
21 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]?)”
“I have observed all these,” he replied, “from childhood.”
22 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!”
Hearing this, Jesus said to him: “There is one thing still lacking in you; sell everything that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me.”
23 The man became sad when he heard that, because he was very rich [and he did not want to give everything away].
But the man became greatly distressed on hearing this, for he was extremely rich.
24 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].
Seeing this, Jesus said to his disciples: “How hard it is for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!
25 [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].”
It is easier, indeed, for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!”
26 [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]!”
“Then who can be saved?” asked those who heard this.
27 But Jesus said, “It is impossible for people [to save themselves]. But [God can save them, because] God can do anything!”
But Jesus said: “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28 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?]”)
“But we,” said Peter, “we left what belonged to us and followed you.”
29 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],
“I tell you,” he answered, “that there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, on account of the Kingdom of God,
31 [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}.
Gathering the Twelve round him, Jesus said to them: “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there everything that is written in the Prophets will be done to the Son of Man.
32 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.
For he will be given up to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted and spat upon;
33 They will whip me, and [then] they will kill me. But on the third day [after that] I will become alive again.”
they will scourge him, and then put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again.”
34 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].
The Apostles did not comprehend any of this; his meaning was unintelligible to them, and they did not understand what he was saying.
35 As [Jesus and his disciples] came near to Jericho [city], a blind man was sitting beside the road. [He was] begging [for money].
As Jesus was getting near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road-side, begging.
36 When he heard the crowd [of people] passing by, he asked someone, “What is happening?”
Hearing a crowd going by, the man asked what was the matter;
37 They told him, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth [town], is passing by.”
and, when people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing,
38 He shouted, “Jesus, [you who are] descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
he shouted out: “Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!”
39 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!”
Those who were in front kept telling him to be quiet, but he continued to call out the louder: “Son of David, take pity on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and told [people] to bring the man to him. When [the blind man] came near, Jesus asked him,
Then Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. And, when he had come close up to him, Jesus asked him:
41 “What do you [(sg)] want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, enable me to see [again]!”
“What do you want me to do for you?” “Master,” he said, “I want to recover my sight.”
42 Jesus said to him, “[Then] see! Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me], [I] have healed you!”
And Jesus said: “Recover your sight, your faith has delivered you.”
43 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.
Instantly he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus, praising God. And all the people, on seeing it, gave glory to God.
