LukeChapter 18

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¹Then Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ²He said, "In a certain town there was a judge. He didn't fear God, and he didn't care what people thought. ³In that town there was a widow. She kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my enemy.' ⁴For a while the judge refused. But later he said to himself, 'I don't fear God, and I don't care about people. ⁵But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that she gets justice. If I don't, she will wear me out by coming again and again!'" ⁶The Lord said, "Listen to what the unfair judge says. ⁷God's chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won't he see that they get justice? Will he keep putting off helping them? ⁸I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" ⁹Some people trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and they looked down on everyone else. Jesus told them this story. ¹⁰"Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people. They cheat, they do evil, and they commit adultery. I thank you that I'm not even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast two times a week. I give a tenth of everything I get.' ¹³But the tax collector stood far away. He would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!' ¹⁴I tell you, this man went home made right with God, not the Pharisee. For everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And the one who makes himself low will be lifted up." ¹⁵People were even bringing their babies to Jesus so he would put his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they scolded the people who brought them. ¹⁶But Jesus called the children to him. He said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to people like them. ¹⁷I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." ¹⁸Then a ruler asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"a ¹⁹Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Honor your father and mother.'"b ²¹The man said, "I have obeyed all these since I was a boy." ²²When Jesus heard this, he told him, "You still need to do one thing. Sell everything you own and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me." ²³But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich. ²⁴Jesus saw how sad the man was. He said, "How hard it is for rich people to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵In fact, 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." ²⁶The people who heard this asked, "Then who can be saved?" ²⁷Jesus said, "What people can't do, God can do." ²⁸Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we had to follow you." ²⁹Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Someone may have left home, wife, brothers, parents, or children for the kingdom of God. ³⁰That person will receive many times more in this life. And in the age to come, he will receive eternal life." ³¹Then Jesus took the Twelve aside. He said to them, "Listen, we are going up to Jerusalem. Everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. ³²He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will make fun of him, insult him, and spit on him. ³³They will whip him and kill him. And on the third day he will rise again." ³⁴But the disciples didn't understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. They didn't know what he was talking about. ³⁵Jesus was coming near Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road, begging. ³⁶He heard the crowd going by and asked what was happening. ³⁷They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is going by." ³⁸So the blind man shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" ³⁹The people at the front of the crowd told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" ⁴⁰Jesus stopped and told them to bring the man to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹"What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, I want to see again." ⁴²Jesus said to him, "Then see! Your faith has healed you." ⁴³Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.