The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray o always and not give up. p 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God q or respect people. 3 And a widowr in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people,5 yet because this widow keepss pestering me, T I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me outU by her persistent coming.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justicet to his electu who cry out to him day and night? v Will he delayw helping them?V 8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,x will he find faith on earth? ”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He y also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves z that they were righteous a and looked down b on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, c one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing d and praying like this about himself: W ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people —greedy,e unrighteous,f adulterers, g or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast h twice a week; I give a tenth X,i of everything I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, j would not even raise his eyes to heavenk but kept striking his chest l and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me,Y,m a sinner! ’ n 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justifiedo rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” p
Blessing the Children
15 People q were bringing infants to him so he might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to me,r and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you,s whoever does not receivet the kingdom of God like a little child u will never enter it.”
The Rich Young Ruler
18 A v ruler w asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ” x
19 “Why do you call me good? ” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.20 You know the commandments:Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.” Z,y
21 “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.
22 When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor,z and you will have treasure in heaven. a Then come, follow me.” b
23 After he heard this, he became extremely sad, c because he was very rich.
Possessions and the Kingdom
24 Seeing that he became sad, A Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For 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.”
26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved? ” d
27 He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”e
28 Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed f you.”
29 So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time, g and eternal life in the age to come.”
The Third Prediction of His Death
31 Then h he took the Twelve aside and told them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. i Everything that is writtenj through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. k 32 For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, l and he will be mocked, m insulted, spit n on; 33 and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.” o
34 They understood none of these things. p The meaning of the saying B,q was hidden r from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
A Blind Man Receives His Sight
35 As s he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening. 37 “Jesus of Nazareth t is passing by,” they told him.
38 So he called out, u “Jesus, Son of David, v have mercy w on me! ” 39 Then those in front told him to keep quiet, C but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me! ”
40 Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you? ”
“Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”
42 “Receive your sight.” x Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.”y 43 Instantly he could see, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. z All the people, a when they saw it, gave praise to God.