Luke 18
Two Men Went Up to Pray
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He Told Them a Parable About Praying
18:1And He told them a parable about their need to pray always and not lose heart,
18:2saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected any person.
18:3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
18:4For a time he was unwilling. But afterward he said within himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect any person,
18:5yet because this widow troubles me, I will give her justice, lest by coming continually she wear me down.’”
18:6And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
18:7And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones who cry to Him day and night? And will He delay over them?
18:8I tell you, He will bring about justice for them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
18:9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded the rest as nothing:
18:10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
18:11The Pharisee stood and prayed these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of humanity—plunderers, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
18:12I fast twice a week; I tithe everything I acquire.’
18:13But the tax collector, standing far away, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be propitious to me, the sinner.’
18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
They Were Bringing Even Infants to Him
18:15And they were bringing even infants to Him so that He might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
18:16But Jesus called the children to Himself, saying, “Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
18:17Amen, I tell you: whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a child will certainly not enter it.”
The Rich Ruler
18:18And a certain ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18:19Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One—God.
18:20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.’”
18:21And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
18:22When 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 the heavens; and come, follow Me.”
18:23But when he heard these things, he became deeply grieved, for he was exceedingly rich.
How Hard It Is for Those Who Have Riches
18:24Seeing him, Jesus said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
18:25For it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
18:26And those who heard said, “Then who can be saved?”
18:27But He said, “The things impossible with people are possible with God.”
The Reward of Those Who Left Their Own
18:28And Peter said, “Behold, we have left what was our own and followed You.”
18:29And He said to them, “Amen, 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
18:30who will not certainly receive many times as much in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Going Up to Jerusalem
18:31Taking the Twelve aside, He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets will be accomplished for the Son of Man.
18:32For He will be handed over to the nations and will be mocked and insulted and spat upon.
18:33And after flogging Him, they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.”
18:34But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not understand what was being said.
A Blind Man Near Jericho
18:35And it happened that as He drew near to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.
18:36Hearing a crowd passing through, he asked what this might be.
18:37They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.”
18:38And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
18:39Those going ahead rebuked him so that he would be silent, but he cried out much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
18:40Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him. When he drew near, He asked him,
18:41“What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
18:42And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.”
18:43And at once he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, seeing this, gave praise to God.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.