Luke 18

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

2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God or respect people.

3In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’

4For a while he refused. But afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect people,

5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me out by her endless coming.’ ”

6The Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.

7Will not God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

8I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

9He 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 was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11The Pharisee stood and prayed these things to himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—swindlers, wrongdoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’

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

14I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

15People were also bringing their babies to him so that he would touch them. When the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

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

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

18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19Jesus said to him, “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 give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ”

21He said, “I have kept all these since I was young.”

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 heaven. Then come, follow me.”

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

24Jesus saw that he had become very sad and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

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

26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

27He said, “What is impossible for people is possible for God.”

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

29He 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

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

31He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.

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

33They will flog him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.”

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

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

36When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening.

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

38So he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39Those who were in front rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40Jesus 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.”

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

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