Luke 18

¹And he also told them a parable, concerning the need for them to pray always and not to lose heart.

²saying, 'A certain judge was in a certain city, not fearing God and not respecting man.'

³And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'

⁴And he was unwilling for a time. But after these things he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor respect man,'

⁵Yet because this widow gives me trouble, I will give her justice, so that she does not wear me out by her continual coming.

⁶Then the Lord said, 'Hear what the judge of unrighteousness says.'

⁷But will God not bring about justice for his elect, those who cry out to him day and night? And yet he is patient with them?

⁸I say to you that he will bring about their vindication speedily. Yet when the Son of Man comes, will he find the faith on the earth?

⁹And he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and who despised all others.

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

¹¹The Pharisee, having taken his stand, was praying these things to himself: 'O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men — extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers — or even like this tax collector.'

¹²I fast twice a week; I tithe everything I acquire.

¹³And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not even willing to lift his eyes to heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner.'

¹⁴I say to you, this one went down to his house justified rather than that one. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

¹⁵And they were bringing to him even the infants, so that he might touch them; but when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

¹⁶But Jesus called them to himself, saying, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them; for of such is the kingdom of God.'

¹⁷Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will certainly not enter it.

¹⁸And a certain ruler asked him, saying, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?'

¹⁹And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except one — God.'

²⁰The commandments you know: '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.'

²²And having heard these things, Jesus said to him, 'Yet one thing is lacking to you. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come, follow me.'

²³But when he heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was extremely rich.

²⁴And having seen him become very sorrowful, Jesus 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 said, 'Then who can be saved?'

²⁷But he said, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'

²⁸Then Peter said, 'Behold, we have left our own things and followed you.'

²⁹And he said to them, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

³⁰who shall not fail to receive back manifold in this present time, and in the coming age eternal life.

³¹And taking the Twelve aside, he said to them: 'Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.

³²For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

³³And having flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.'

³⁴But they understood nothing of these things, and this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things being said.

³⁵And it came to pass that as he was drawing near to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

³⁶And hearing a crowd passing by, he was asking what this might be.

³⁷And they told him that Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.

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

³⁹And those going before were rebuking him so that he might be silent. But he himself cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'

⁴⁰And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he drew near, he questioned him,

⁴¹saying, 'What do you want me to do for you?' And he said, 'Lord, that I may receive my sight.'

⁴²And Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.'

⁴³And immediately he received his sight, and he was following him, glorifying God. And all the people, having seen it, gave praise to God.