Luke18

¹Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

²saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

³Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

⁴And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

⁵yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

⁶Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.

⁷And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

⁸I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

⁹Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

¹²I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

¹³And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹⁵Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

¹⁶But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁷Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

¹⁸Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

²⁰You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

²¹And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

²²So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

²³But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

²⁴And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!

²⁵For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

²⁸Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

²⁹So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

³⁰who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

³¹Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

³²For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

³³They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

³⁴But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

³⁵Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.

³⁶And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.

³⁷So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

³⁸And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him,

⁴¹saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

⁴²Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”

⁴³And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.