The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray^(A) always and not become discouraged:^{(B) 2} “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God^(C) or respect man. ³ And a widow^(D) 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 man, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps^(E) pestering me,^[a] I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out^[b] by her persistent coming.’”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ Will not God grant justice^(F) to His elect^(G) who cry out to Him day and night?^(H) Will He delay^(I) to help them?^{[c] 8} I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,^(J) will He find that faith^[d] on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He^(K) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves^(L) that they were righteous^(M) and looked down^(N) on everyone else: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple complex to pray,^(O) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee took his stand^[e](P) and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people^[f] —greedy,^(Q) unrighteous,^(R) adulterers,^(S) or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast^(T) twice a week; I give a tenth^[g](U) of everything I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector, standing far off,^(V) would not even raise his eyes to heaven^(W) but kept striking his chest^[h](X) and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me^[i](Y)—a sinner!’^{(Z) 14} I tell you, this one went down to his house justified^(AA) rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”^(AB)

Blessing the Children

¹⁵ Some^(AC) people were even 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,^(AD) and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ I assure you:^(AE) Whoever does not welcome^(AF) the kingdom of God like a little child^(AG) will never enter it.”

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁸ A^(AH) ruler^(AI) asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(AJ)

¹⁹ “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. ²⁰ You know the commandments:

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 that you have and distribute it to the poor,^(AL) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(AM) Then come, follow Me.”^(AN)

²³ After he heard this, he became extremely sad,^(AO) because he was very rich.

Possessions and the Kingdom

²⁴ Seeing that he became sad,^[k] 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?”^(AP)

²⁷ He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”^(AQ)

²⁸ Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed^(AR) You.”

²⁹ So He said to them, “I assure you: There is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more at this time,^(AS) and eternal life in the age to come.”

The Third Prediction of His Death

³¹ Then^(AT) He took the Twelve aside and told them, “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem.^(AU) Everything that is written^(AV) through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.^{(AW) 32} For He will be handed over to the Gentiles,^(AX) and He will be mocked,^(AY) insulted, spit^(AZ) on; ³³ and after they flog Him, they will kill Him, and He will rise on the third day.”^(BA)

³⁴ They understood none of these things.^(BB) This saying^[l](BC) was hidden^(BD) from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight

³⁵ As^(BE) He drew near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. ³⁶ Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what this meant. ³⁷ “Jesus the Nazarene^(BF) is passing by,” they told him.

³⁸ So he called out,^(BG) “Jesus, Son of David,^(BH) have mercy^(BI) on me!” ³⁹ Then those in front told him to keep quiet,^[m] 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 drew near, He asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want Me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

⁴² “Receive your sight!”^(BJ) Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.”^{[n](BK) 43} Instantly he could see, and he began to follow Him, glorifying God.^(BL) All the people,^(BM) when they saw it, gave praise to God.