Luke 18
1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray and not give up,
[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 saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect man.
He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not revere God, and did not care about people, either.
3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from 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 He wouldn’t for a while; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
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 bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’”
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 The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
Then the Lord [Jesus] said, “[Even though] the judge was not a righteous man, think carefully about what he said!
7 Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises 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 that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, 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 He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others:
[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 into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
[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 The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
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 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
[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 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘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 tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles 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 They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they 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 Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.
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 Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into 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 A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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 asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is 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 You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your 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, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”
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 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow 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 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, 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 Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
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 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
[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 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
[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 But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
But Jesus said, “It is impossible for people [to save themselves]. But [God can save them, because] God can do anything!”
28 Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
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 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake,
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 He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
[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 up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
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 They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”
They will whip me, and [then] they will kill me. But on the third day [after that] I will become alive again.”
34 They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.
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 As he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, 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 Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.
When he heard the crowd [of people] passing by, he asked someone, “What is happening?”
37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
They told him, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth [town], is passing by.”
38 He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”
He shouted, “Jesus, [you who are] descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
39 Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You 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 Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,
Jesus stopped and told [people] to bring the man to him. When [the blind man] came near, Jesus asked him,
41 “What do you want me to do?” He said, “Lord, that I may see again.”
“What do you [(sg)] want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, enable me to see [again]!”
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.”
Jesus said to him, “[Then] see! Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me], [I] have healed you!”
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised 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.
