The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought (A)always to pray and not (B)lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who (C)neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, (D)‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And (E)will not God give justice to (F)his elect, (G)who cry to him day and night? (H)(I)Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them (J)speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, (K)will he find faith on earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

He also told this parable to some (L)who trusted (M)in themselves that they were righteous, (N)and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men (O)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, (P)standing by himself, prayed[a] (Q)thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 (R)I fast twice a week; (S)I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, (T)standing far off, (U)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but (V)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, (W)be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For (X)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let the Children Come to Me

15 (Y)Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they (Z)rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, (AA)“Let the children come to me, and (AB)do not hinder them, (AC)for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 (AD)Truly, I say to you, whoever does not (AE)receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The Rich Ruler

18 (AF)And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to (AG)inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: (AH)‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, (AI)“All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. (AJ)Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have (AK)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 (AL)But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, (AM)“How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter (AN)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 (AO)the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, (AP)“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, (AQ)we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, (AR)there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers[b] or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive (AS)many times more (AT)in this time, and in (AU)the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

31 (AV)And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, (AW)we are going up to Jerusalem, and (AX)everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be (AY)delivered over to the Gentiles and will be (AZ)mocked and shamefully treated and (BA)spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on (BB)the third day he will rise.” 34 (BC)But they understood none of these things. (BD)This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

35 (BE)As he drew near to Jericho, (BF)a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, (BG)“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, (BH)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front (BI)rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 (BJ)“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; (BK)your faith has (BL)made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, (BM)glorifying God. And (BN)all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself
  2. Luke 18:29 Or wife or brothers and sisters

18 Now he was speaking a mashal to them about how it is necessary always for them to daven and not to lose chozek, [YESHAYAH 40:31]

Saying, An aza (certain) Shofet was in a certain town. Now this Shofet had no fear of Hashem nor any respect for Bnei Adam.

Now an almanah was in that town and she was coming to him saying, Grant me yashrus (justice) against my ish riv (opponent in a lawsuit). [YESHAYAH 1:17]

And for a zman (time) the Shofet was not willing. But after these things, he said to himself, If indeed Hashem I do not fear nor do Bnei Adam I respect,

Yet because this almanah (widow) causes me tzoros and is such a nudzh (pest), I will grant yashrus (justice) to her, lest in the end she may wear me out by her constant coming.

Now Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu said, Listen to what the unrighteous shofet says.

Now will not Hashem by all means do mishpat for his Bechirim crying out to him yomam valailah? Will he delay long in bringing them help? [Ex 22:23; Ps 88:1]

I say to you that Hashem will bring about their yashrus (justice) swiftly, but when the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14) comes, will he then find emunah (faith) on haaretz?

And he said this mashal also to some, who have become soimech (confident, putting their trust and being dependent) on themselves that they are tzaddikim and who are despising others. [YESHAYAH 65:5]

10 Shnei anashim (two men) went up to the Beis Hamikdash to daven, one was a Perush and the other, a moches (tax collector).

11 The Perush was standing by himself, shawkling (ritual swaying while davening), and his tefillah went like this: Adonoi, Modeh Ani that I am not like other men, swindlers, reshaim, menaafim, or even this moches.

12 I undergo a tzom (fast) twice during the week, I give the ma’aser (tithe) of everything as much as I get. [YESHAYAH 58:3, MALACHI 3:8]

13 But the moches (tax collector) stood at a distance and was not willing even to lift up his eynayim to Shomayim but was beating his chest, saying, Adonoi, rachem na al choteh kamoni! (L-rd, have mercy on a sinner like me!) [YESHAYAH 66:2; YIRMEYAH 31:19]

14 I say to you, this one, rather than the other one, went down to his bais having been made yitzdak im Hashem (justified with G-d). Because everyone lifting himself up will be brought low, but the one bringing himself low will be uplifted.

15 Now also they were bringing to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach yeladim that he might place his hands on them. But having seen this, the talmidim were rebuking them.

16 But Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach called for them saying, Permit the yeladim to come to me and do not hinder them, for of such ones is the Malchut Hashem.

17 Omein, I say to you, whoever does not welcome the Malchut Hashem as a yeled would, may by no means enter into it.

18 And a certain one of the manhigim (leaders, one of the wealthier Baale-Battishe Jews) questioned Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, Mori HaTov (Good Teacher), what mitzvah must I do to inherit Chayyei Olam?

19 And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Why do you call me tov? No one is tov except Hashem alone, nu?

20 You have daas of the Mitzvot. LO TINAF, LO TIRTZACH, LO TIGNOV, LO TAANEH VREIACHAH ED SHAKER, KABEID ES AVICHA VES IMMECHAH. [SHEMOT 20:12-16; DEVARIM 5:16-20]

21 And he said, In all these things I have been shomer mitzvot and frum from my kinder-yoren.

22 And having heard, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Still one thing for you is lacking. Everything as much as you have, sell and distribute to the aniyim, and you will have otzar in Himel; and come follow me.

23 But having heard these things, he fell into agmat nefesh (grief, sadness). For he had much kesef.

24 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, when he saw him fall into agmat nefesh, said, How difficult it is for the ones having osher (riches) to enter into the Malchut Hashem. [MISHLE 11:28]

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for an oisher (rich man) to enter into the Malchut Hashem.

26 But the ones, having heard, said, Then who is able to come to Yeshu’at Eloheinu?

27 And he said, The things impossible with Bnei Adam are possible with Hashem.

28 And Kefa said, Hinei, we have left everything to follow you.

29 And he said to them, Omein, I say to you, that there is no one who left bais or isha or achim or horim (parents) or yeladim because of the Malchut Hashem,

30 Who will not receive many times as much in this zman (time) and in the Olam HaBah, Chayyei Olam.

31 And having taken the Shneym Asar (Twelve) aside in a yechidus, he said to them, Hinei, we are making another aliyah leregel (pilgrimage) to Yerushalayim, and all the things having been written by the Nevi’im about the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14) will be fulfilled. [TEHILLIM 118:22]

32 For he (the Ben HaAdam Moshiach) will be delivered up to the Goyim and he will be ridiculed and he will be mistreated and he will be spat upon,

33 And, having laid the shot (whip) on him, they will kill him and after his histalkus (passing), on the Yom HaShlishi there will be Techiyas HaMoshiach.

34 And they had binah (understanding, comprehension) regarding none of these things, and this dvar was nistar (concealed) from them, and they had no understanding of the things being said.

35 And it came about while Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach drew near to Yericho, a certain ivver (blind man) was sitting beside the road begging.

36 And having heard a multitude traveling through, he was asking what this might be.

37 And they reported to him that Yehoshua from Natzeret is passing by.

38 And he cried out saying, Ben Dovid! Chaneni! (Have mercy on me!)

39 And the ones going past him were rebuking him that he should be silent, but he just so much the more was crying out, Ben Dovid, chaneni!

40 And stopping, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach commanded the ivver to be led to him. Having drawn near, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach asked him, What do you wish that I may do for you?

41 And he said, Adoni, that I may regain my sight.

42 And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Regain your sight; your emunah (faith) has brought you refuah (healing).

43 And at once he saw again and was following Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, shouting, Baruch Hashem! And all the people, who were edei reiyah (eyewitnesses) of this, shouted, Baruch HaShem!