Luke 18
1He was telling them a parable about the need for them to pray at all times and not lose heart. 2He said: "There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor had regard for any person. 3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him saying, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4For a while he refused. But afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God and have no regard for anyone, 5yet because this widow keeps causing me trouble, I will grant her justice—so that she will not keep coming and wear me down completely.'"
6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Is he slow to act on their behalf? 8I tell you, he will bring about justice for them swiftly. Yet when the Son of Man comes, will he find such faith on the earth?"
9He also told this parable to some who were confident in themselves that they were righteous and who treated everyone else with contempt: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray—one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed these things concerning himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—swindlers, cheaters, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I tithe on everything I acquire.'
13"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift his eyes toward heaven but kept beating his chest, saying, 'God, show mercy to me—the 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."
15Now people were bringing even their infants to him so that he might touch them. When the disciples saw this, they began rebuking them. 16But Jesus called them to himself, saying, "Let the children come to me and do not prevent 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 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 bear false witness, honor your father and mother." 21And he said, "All these I have kept since my youth." 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing is still lacking for you: sell everything you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens—then come, follow me." 23But when he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was extremely wealthy.
24Seeing him, Jesus said, "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25For 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." 26Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?" 27He replied, "What is impossible with humans is possible with God."
28Peter said, "Look, we have left what we had and followed you." 29And 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 30who will not receive many times as much in this present time, and in the age to come, eternal life."
31Taking 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 fulfilled. 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33After flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." 34But they understood none of this. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was being said.
35As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road begging. 36Hearing a crowd passing through, he asked what this might be. 37They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is passing by." 38And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39Those at the front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought to him. When he came near, he asked him, 41"What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me see again." 42And Jesus said to him, "See again. Your faith has saved you." 43Immediately he could see again, and he followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.