18 2 The parable of the unrighteous Judge and the widow. 10 Of the Pharisee and the Publican. 15 Children are of the kingdom of heaven. 22 To sell all and give to the poor. 28 The Apostles forsake all. 31 Christ foretelleth his death. 35 The blind man receiveth sight.

And [a]he spake also a parable unto them, to this end, that they (A)ought always to pray, and not to [b]wax faint,

[c]Saying, there was a judge in a certain city, which feared not God, neither reverenced man.

And there was a widow in that city, which came unto him, saying, Do me justice against mine adversary.

And he would not of a long time: but afterward he said with himself, Though I fear not God, nor reverence man,

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will do her right, lest at the last she come and [d]make me weary.

And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith.

Now shall not God avenge his elect, which cry day and night unto him, yea, though [e]he suffer long for them?

I tell you he will avenge them quickly: but when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

[f]He spake also this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were just, and despised others.

10 Two men went up into the Temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican.

11 [g]The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, O God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican.

12 I fast twice in the week: I give tithe of all that ever I possess.

13 But the Publican standing [h]afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast, saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man departed to his house, justified rather than the other: (B)for every man that exalteth himself shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

15 (C)[i]They brought unto him also babes that he should touch them. [j]And when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16 [k]But Jesus [l]called them unto him, and said, Suffer the babes to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

17 [m]Verily I say unto you, whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a babe, he shall not enter therein.

18 (D)Then a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what ought I do, to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God.

20 Thou knowest the commandments, (E)Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Honor thy father and thy mother.

21 [n]And he said, All these have I kept from my youth.

22 Now when Jesus heard that, he said unto him, yet lackest thou one thing, Sell all that ever thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me.

23 But when he heard those things, he was very heavy: for he was marvelous rich.

24 [o]And when Jesus saw him very sorrowful, he said, With what difficulty shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God!

25 Surely it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26 Then said they that heard it, And who then shall be saved?

27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.

28 (F)Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

29 [p]And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the kingdom of God’s sake,

30 Which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting.

31 (G)[q]Then Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled to the Son of man, that are written by the Prophets.

32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shall be spiteful entreated, and shall be spitted on.

33 And when they have scourged him, they will put him to death: but the third day he shall rise again.

34 But they understood [r]none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither perceived they the things, which were spoken.

35 (H)[s]And it came to pass, that as he was come near unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging.

36 And when he heard the people pass by, he asked what it meant.

37 And they said unto him, that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.

38 Then he cried, saying, Jesus the Son of David, have mercy on me.

39 [t]And they which went before, rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried much more, O Son of David have mercy on me.

40 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him,

41 Saying, What wilt thou that I do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

43 Then immediately he received his sight, and followed him, praising God: and all the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:1 God will have us to continue in prayer, not to weary us, but to exercise us, therefore we must so strive with impatience, that long delay cause us not to break off the course of our prayers.
  2. Luke 18:1 Yield to afflictions, and adversities, as they do which are out of heart.
  3. Luke 18:2 He doth not compare things that are equal together, but the less with the greater: If a man get his right at a most unrighteous judge’s hands, much more shall the prayers of the godly prevail before God.
  4. Luke 18:5 Word for word, beat me down with her blows, and it is a metaphor taken of wrestlers, who beat their adversaries with their fists or clubs: so do they that are importunate beat the judge’s ears with their crying out, even as it were with blows.
  5. Luke 18:7 Though he seems slow in revenging the injury done to his.
  6. Luke 18:9 Two things especially make our prayers void and of none effect: confidence of our own righteousness, and the contempt of others: and an humble heart is contrary to both these.
  7. Luke 18:11 Although we confess that whatsoever we have, we have it of God, yet are we despised of God, as proud and arrogant, if we put never so little trust in our own works before God.
  8. Luke 18:13 Far from the Pharisee in a lower place.
  9. Luke 18:15 The children were tender and young, in that they were brought, which appeareth more evidently in that, that they were infants, which is to be marked against them that are enemies to the baptizing of children.
  10. Luke 18:15 To judge or think of Christ after the reason of our flesh, is the cause of infinite corruptions.
  11. Luke 18:16 The children also of the faithful are comprehended in the free covenant of God.
  12. Luke 18:16 Them that carried the children, whom the disciples drove away.
  13. Luke 18:17 Childlike innocence is an ornament of Christians.
  14. Luke 18:21 The enticement of riches carrieth away many from the right way.
  15. Luke 18:24 To be both rich and godly, is a singular gift of God.
  16. Luke 18:29 They become the richest of all, which refuse not to be poor for Christ’s sake.
  17. Luke 18:31 As sure and certain as persecution is, so sure is the glory which remaineth for the conquerors.
  18. Luke 18:34 Hereby we see how ignorant the disciples were.
  19. Luke 18:35 Christ showeth by a visible miracle, that he is the light of the world.
  20. Luke 18:39 The more stops and lets that Satan layeth in our way, even by them which profess Christ’s Name, so much the more ought we to go forward.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.(A) He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice(B) against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”(C)

And the Lord(D) said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out(E) to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man(F) comes,(G) will he find faith on the earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

To some who were confident of their own righteousness(H) and looked down on everyone else,(I) Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray,(J) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself(K) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(L) twice a week and give a tenth(M) of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast(N) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’(O)

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(P)

The Little Children and Jesus(Q)

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child(R) will never enter it.”

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(S)

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

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a](U)

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,(V) and you will have treasure in heaven.(W) Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!(X) 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”(Y)

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”(Z)

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come(AA) eternal life.”(AB)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(AC)

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem,(AD) and everything that is written by the prophets(AE) about the Son of Man(AF) will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles.(AG) They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him(AH) and kill him.(AI) On the third day(AJ) he will rise again.”(AK)

34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.(AL)

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight(AM)

35 As Jesus approached Jericho,(AN) a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”(AO)

38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David,(AP) have mercy(AQ) on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”(AR)

40 Jesus 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?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”(AS) 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20