Luke 18

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray # 18:1 Lk 11:5–13; 21:36; 1Th 5:17 always and not give up. # 18:1 2Co 4:1 2‘There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God # 18:2 Ps 147:11; Pr 1:7; Ac 10:2; Rv 14:7 or respect people. 3And a widow # 18:3 Lk 2:37; 4:26; 7:12; 21:2 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, 5yet because this widow keeps # 18:5 Lk 11:8 pestering me, # 18:5 Lit widow causes me trouble I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out # 18:5 Or doesn’t ruin my reputation by her persistent coming.” ’

6Then the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7Will not God grant justice # 18:7 Is 63:4; Rv 6:10 to his elect # 18:7 Mt 24:22; Rm 8:33; 2Tm 2:10; Ti 1:1 who cry out to him day and night? # 18:7 Ps 88:1 Will he delay # 18:7 2Pt 3:9 helping them? # 18:7 Or Will he put up with them? 8I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, # 18:8 Dn 7:13; Lk 9:26; 12:40 will he find faith on earth? ’

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9He # 18:9–14 Mt 18:4; 23:12; Lk 14:11 also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves # 18:9 Mt 5:20; 2Co 1:9 that they were righteous # 18:9 Lk 16:15 and looked down # 18:9 Lk 23:11; Ac 4:11; Rm 14:3,10 on everyone else: 10‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, # 18:10 1Kg 10:5; 2Kg 20:5,8; Ac 3:1 one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee was standing # 18:11 Mt 6:5; Mk 11:25 and praying like this about himself: # 18:11 Or by himself “God, I thank you that I’m not like other people #– #greedy, # 18:11 Mt 7:15; 1Co 5:10–11; 6:10 unrighteous, # 18:11 Lk 16:10 adulterers, # 18:11 Ex 20:14; 1Co 6:9; Heb 13:4 or even like this tax collector. 12I fast # 18:12 Lk 5:33–35; Ac 13:2–3 twice a week; I give a tenth # 18:12 Or give tithes,# 18:12 Lk 11:42 of everything I get.”

13 ‘But the tax collector, standing far off, # 18:13 Lk 17:12 would not even raise his eyes to heaven # 18:13 Ezr 9:6 but kept striking his chest # 18:13 Lk 23:48 and saying, “God, have mercy on me, # 18:13 Or God, turn your wrath from me,# 18:13 Heb 2:17 a sinner! ” # 18:13 1Tm 1:15 14I tell you, this one went down to his house justified # 18:14 Lk 16:15; Php 3:8 rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’ # 18:14 Is 2:11; Lk 1:52; 3:5; 14:11

Blessing the Children

15People # 18:15–17 Mt 18:3; 19:13–15; Mk 10:13–16 were bringing infants to him so that he might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16Jesus, however, invited them: ‘Let the little children come to me, # 18:16 Lk 14:26 and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17Truly I tell you, # 18:17 Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21 whoever does not receive # 18:17 Lk 8:13 the kingdom of God like a little child # 18:17 1Co 14:20; 1Pt 2:2 will never enter it.’

The Rich Young Ruler

18A # 18:18–30 Mt 19:16–30; Mk 10:17–31; Lk 22:28–30 ruler # 18:18 Lk 8:41; 12:58 asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ’ # 18:18 Lk 10:25; Jn 3:15

19 ‘Why do you call me good? ’ Jesus asked him. ‘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; honour your father and mother.’ # 18:20 Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20,# 18:20 Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20

21‘I have kept all these from my youth,’ he said.

22When Jesus heard this, he told him, ‘You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, # 18:22 Lk 12:33; 19:8; Ac 2:45; 4:34 and you will have treasure in heaven. # 18:22 Mt 6:19–20; Lk 5:11; 12:33 Then come, follow me.’ # 18:22 Lk 5:27

23After he heard this, he became extremely sad, # 18:23 Mt 26:38; Mk 6:26; 14:34 because he was very rich.

Possessions and the Kingdom

24Seeing that he became sad, # 18:24 Other mss omit he became sad Jesus said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25For 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 this asked, ‘Then who can be saved? ’ # 18:26 Lk 18:42; Eph 2:8

27He replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’ # 18:27 Gn 18:14; Jb 42:2; Jr 32:17; Zch 8:6; Lk 1:37; Rm 4:21; 11:22

28Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left what we had and followed # 18:28 Lk 5:11; Jn 8:12 you.’

29So 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, 30who will not receive many times more at this time, # 18:30 Jb 42:10; Mt 6:33; Lk 21:8 and eternal life in the age to come.’

The Third Prediction of His Death

31Then # 18:31–34 Mt 20:17–19; Mk 10:32–34 he took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem. # 18:31 Lk 9:51 Everything that is written # 18:31 Ps 22; Is 52:13–53:12; Mt 1:22; 26:24 through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. # 18:31 Lk 22:37; Jn 19:28 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, # 18:32 Mt 27:2; Jn 18:30–31; Ac 3:13 and he will be mocked, # 18:32 Mt 27:26–31 insulted, spat # 18:32 Mt 26:67; Mk 14:65; 15:19 on; 33and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.’ # 18:33 Mt 16:21; Lk 9:22

34They understood none of these things. # 18:34 Mk 9:32; Lk 2:50; 9:45 The meaning of the saying # 18:34 Lit This saying,# 18:34 Lk 1:29 was hidden # 18:34 Lk 24:16 from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight

35As # 18:35–43 Mt 20:29–34; Mk 10:46–52 he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36Hearing a crowd passing by, he enquired what was happening. 37‘Jesus of Nazareth # 18:37 Mt 2:23; Jn 18:5; 19:19; Ac 2:22 is passing by,’ they told him.

38So he called out, # 18:38 Lk 18:7 ‘Jesus, Son of David, # 18:38 Mt 1:1; 9:27; Lk 1:32; Rm 1:3 have mercy # 18:38 Lk 16:24 on me! ’ 39Then those in front told him to keep quiet, # 18:39 Or those in front rebuked him but he kept crying out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me! ’

40Jesus 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,’ # 18:42 Lk 7:22; Jn 9:11; Ac 9:12 Jesus told him. ‘Your faith has saved you.’ # 18:42 Mt 9:22; Lk 5:20; 7:50; 8:48; 17:19; 18:26 43Instantly he could see, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. # 18:43 Lk 7:16; 13:13 All the people, # 18:43 Lk 2:10 when they saw it, gave praise to God.

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