¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray,^(A) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself^(B) 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^(C) twice a week and give a tenth^(D) 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^(E) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’^(F)

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.”^(G)

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.^(B)

²³ for all have sinned^(A) and fall short of the glory of God,

³² For God has bound everyone over to disobedience^(A) so that he may have mercy on them all.

²² But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(A) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

⁸ If we claim to be without sin,^(A) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.^(B)