Luke18

English Standard Version

TranslationKJV WEB ASV ESV NIV NASB NKJV NLT

¹ he a to the they to .

²He , a there who .

³ there a who kept , .

⁴ a he , he , I ,

⁵ , I will , so that she will her .

⁶ the , the .

⁷ will to , ?, Will he ?

⁸I , he to . , the of , will he ?

⁹He they , with :

¹⁰ the to , a the a .

¹¹The , by , : , I I , , , , .

¹²I a ; I of I .

¹³ the , , his , , , , be to , a !

¹⁴I , this , rather the . who will be , the one who will be .

¹⁵ they were to he might . when the it, they .

¹⁶ to him, , the , do , to the of .

¹⁷ , I to , does the of a shall .

¹⁸ , , to ?

¹⁹ to , do you ? No is .

²⁰You the : Do , Do , Do , Do bear , .

²¹ he , I have .

²² , he to , thing . you to the , you will ; , .

²³ when he these , he very , he .

²⁴ , that had , , difficult it for those who to of !

²⁵ it for a to the of a for a to of .

²⁶Those who it , ?

²⁷ he , What is .

²⁸ , , have our .

²⁹ he to , , I to , there no has , for the of the of ,

³⁰ will many , the to .

³¹ the , he , , we are going , that is about the of the will be .

³² he will be over to the will be shamefully .

³³ him, they will , on the he will .

³⁴ of these . , they did what was .

³⁵ , was the .

³⁶ a , he .

³⁷ , of is .

³⁸ he , , of , have !

³⁹ those who were in him, telling be . out the , of , have !

⁴⁰ and to be . when came , he ,

⁴¹ do you me to for ? He , , me recover my .

⁴² to , Recover your ; has .

⁴³ he , . the , when they it, to .

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Luke 18.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The parable of the importunate widow. (1–8). The Pharisee and the publican. (9–14). Children brought to Christ. (15–17). The ruler hindered by his riches. (18–30). Christ foreshows his death. (31–34). A blind man restored to sight. (35–43).

vv1-8

All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith.

vv9-14

This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this Pharisee, yet he was not accepted; and why not? He went up to the temple to pray, but was full of himself and his own goodness; the favour and grace of God he did not think worth asking. Let us beware of presenting proud devotions to the Lord, and of despising others. The publican's address to God was full of humility, and of repentance for sin, and desire toward God. His prayer was short, but to the purpose; God be merciful to me a sinner. Blessed be God, that we have this short prayer upon record, as an answered prayer; and that we are sure that he who prayed it, went to his house justified; for so shall we be, if we pray it, as he did, through Jesus Christ. He owned himself a sinner by nature, by practice, guilty before God. He had no dependence but upon the mercy of God; upon that alone he relied. And God's glory is to resist the proud, and give grace to the humble. Justification is of God in Christ; therefore the self-condemned, and not the self-righteous, are justified before God.

vv15-17

None are too little, too young, to be brought to Christ, who knows how to show kindness to those not capable of doing service to him. It is the mind of Christ, that little children should be brought to him. The promise is to us, and to our seed; therefore He will bid them welcome to him with us. And we must receive his kingdom as children, not by purchase, and must call it our Father's gift.

Key Words

AndG1161Greek

δέ (dé): but, and, etc.

toldG3004Greek

λέγω (légō): properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean

themG846Greek

αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

parableG3850Greek

παραβολή (parabolḗ): a similitude ("parable"), i.e. (symbolic) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apothegm or adage

effect thatG4314Greek

πρός (prós): a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)

oughtG1163Greek

δεῖ (deî): also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding)

alwaysG3842Greek

πάντοτε (pántote): every when, i.e. at all times

prayG4336Greek

προσεύχομαι (proseúchomai): to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship

andG2532Greek

καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

notG3361Greek

μή (mḗ): (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expects an affirmative one)) whether