Luke 18:9-17

Christian Standard Bible

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He^(A) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves^(B) that they were righteous^(C) and looked down^(D) on everyone else: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray,^(E) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee was standing^(F) and praying like this about himself: ^[a] ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy,^(G) unrighteous,^(H) adulterers,^(I) or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast^(J) twice a week; I give a tenth^[b](K) of everything I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector, standing far off,^(L) would not even raise his eyes to heaven^(M) but kept striking his chest^(N) and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me,^[c](O) a sinner!’ ^{(P) 14} I tell you, this one went down to his house justified^(Q) rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”^(R)

Blessing the Children

¹⁵ People^(S) were bringing infants to him so that 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,^(T) and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Truly I tell you,^(U) whoever does not receive^(V) the kingdom of God like a little child^(W) will never enter it.”