Luke 18

¹ Then he told them a parable about the need to always pray and not lose heart,

² saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected any person.

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

⁴ And for a time he was unwilling. But afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God or respect any person,

⁵ yet because this widow keeps troubling me, I will grant her justice, so that she will not wear me out by her constant coming.'"

⁶ Then the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.

⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

⁸ I tell you, he will bring about justice for them quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

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

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector.

¹² I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I earn.'

¹³ But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes toward heaven. Instead, he beat his chest and said, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

¹⁵ People were also bringing their infants to him so that he would touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

¹⁶ But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

¹⁷ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁹ Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

²⁰ You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"

²¹ He said, "All these I have kept since my youth."

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

²³ But when he heard these things, he became deeply grieved, for he was extremely wealthy.

²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁶ Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷ He replied, "What is impossible with humans is possible with God."

²⁸ Peter said, "Look, we have left what we had and followed you."

²⁹ He said to them, "Truly I tell 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

³⁰ who will not receive many times more in this present age, and in the age to come, eternal life."

³¹ Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.

³² For he will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and mistreated and spat upon.

³³ And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise."

³⁴ But they understood none of these things. This word was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was being said.

³⁵ As he was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

³⁶ Hearing a crowd passing by, he asked what was happening.

³⁷ They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is passing by."

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

³⁹ Those leading the way rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,

⁴¹ "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me see again."

⁴² Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight! Your faith has saved you."

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