Luke 18
Expanded Bible
God Will Answer His People
18 Then Jesus used this ·story [parable] to ·teach his followers [show the necessity] that they should always pray and never ·lose hope [become discouraged]. 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who did not ·respect [fear] God or ·care about people [or care what people thought]. 3 In that same town there was a widow [C among the most vulnerable members of society] who kept coming to this judge, saying, ‘Give me ·my rights [justice] against my ·enemy [opponent; adversary].’ 4 For a while the judge refused to help her. But afterwards, he thought to himself, ‘Even though I don’t ·respect [fear] God or ·care about people [or care what people think], 5 yet because she ·keeps bothering me [is causing me such trouble], I will see that she gets ·her rights [justice]. Otherwise she will ·keep coming until she wears me out [or eventually come and punch me/blacken my eye].’”
6 The Lord said, “Listen to what the ·unfair [unjust; unrighteous] judge said. 7 God will always [L Will not God…?] ·give what is right [provide justice] to his ·people [L chosen people; elect] who cry to him day and night, and ·he will not [L will he…?] ·be slow to answer them [or keep putting them off]. 8 I tell you, God will ·help [provide justice to] his people ·quickly [or suddenly]. ·But [However; Yet] when the Son of Man comes again, will he find ·those on earth who believe in him [L faith on the earth; C God’s faithfulness is certain; the only question is whether people will remain faithful to him]?”
Being Right with God
9 Jesus told this ·story [parable] to some people who ·thought they were very good [were confident of their own righteousness] and ·looked down on [scorned; despised] everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the Temple [courts] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector [C despised by their fellow Jews because they worked for the hated Romans and were notorious for extortion]. 11 The Pharisee ·stood alone and prayed [or stood and prayed about himself], ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—thieves, ·cheaters [evildoers; unrighteous people], adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week [C Pharisees commonly fasted on Monday and Thursday], and I ·give one-tenth of [pay tithes on] everything I get!’
13 “[L But] The tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even ·look up [L raise his eyes] to heaven. But he beat on his chest [C a sign of sorrow and remorse] and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, when this man went home, he was ·right with God [justified], ·but the Pharisee was not [L rather than that (other) man]. [L Because] All who ·make themselves great [exalt themselves] will be made humble, but all who make themselves humble will be ·made great [exalted].”
Who Will Enter God’s Kingdom?(A)
15 Some people brought even their babies to Jesus so he could touch them. When the ·followers [disciples] saw this, they ·told them to stop [scolded/rebuked them]. 16 But Jesus called for the children, saying, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t ·stop [hinder; forbid] them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children [C meaning humble and dependent]. 17 I tell you the truth, you must ·accept [receive] the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it.”
A Rich Man’s Question(B)
18 A certain ·leader [ruler] asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to ·have life forever [L inherit eternal life]?”
19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? ·Only God is good [L No one is good except one—God; C Jesus is not denying his own divinity, but is challenging the man’s understanding of goodness]. 20 You know the commands: ‘You must not ·be guilty of [commit] adultery. You must not murder anyone. You must not steal. You must not ·tell lies [testify falsely] about your neighbor. Honor your father and mother [Ex. 20:12–16; Deut. 5:16–20].’”
21 But the leader said, “I have ·obeyed [kept carefully; guarded] all these commands since ·I was a boy [my youth].”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you ·need to do [lack]. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was ·very [extremely] rich.
24 ·Jesus looked at him and [or When Jesus saw this reaction, he] said, “·It is very hard [L How hard it is…!] for ·rich people [L those who have wealth] to enter the kingdom of God. 25 [L For; Indeed] 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 [C meaning it is impossible, by human effort; see v. 27].”
Who Can Be Saved?
26 When the people heard this, they asked, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus answered, “The things impossible ·for people [humanly speaking] are possible for God.”
28 Peter said, “Look, we have left ·everything [or our possessions; or our home] and followed you.”
29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, all those who have left houses, wives, brothers [or siblings], parents, or children ·for [for the sake of] the kingdom of God 30 will get much more in this ·life [age; L time]. And in the ·age [aeon; world] that is coming, they will have ·life forever [eternal life].”
Jesus Will Rise from the Dead(C)
31 Then Jesus took ·the twelve apostles [L the Twelve] aside and said to them, “[L Look; T Behold] We are going [L up] to Jerusalem. Everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will ·happen [be fulfilled/completed/accomplished]. 32 He will be turned over to the Gentiles [C the Roman authorities]. They will ·laugh at [mock] him, insult him, spit on him, 33 ·beat him with whips [flog him; T scourge him], and kill him. But on the third day, he will rise to life again.” 34 ·The apostles [L They] did not understand this; the meaning was hidden from them, and they did not ·realize [comprehend] what was said.
Jesus Heals a Blind Man(D)
35 As Jesus came near the city of Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. 36 When he heard the people ·coming down the road [passing by], he asked, “What is happening?”
37 They told him, “Jesus, ·from Nazareth [or the Nazarene], is going by.”
38 The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David [C a title for the Messiah, a descendant of King David; 2 Sam. 7:11–16], ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
39 The people leading the group ·warned [rebuked; scolded] the blind man to be quiet. But the blind man shouted even more, “Son of David, ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, I want to see.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Then see. ·You are healed because you believed [Your faith has healed/saved you].”
43 At once the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people who saw this praised God.
Luke 18
Amplified Bible
Parables on Prayer
18 Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no respect for man. 3 There was a [desperate] widow in that city and she kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice and legal protection from my adversary.’ 4 For a time he would not; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will give her justice and legal protection; otherwise [a]by continually coming she [will be an intolerable annoyance and she] will wear me out.’” 6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! 7 And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? 8 I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God], and who viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.”
15 Now they were also bringing their babies to Him, so that He would touch and bless them, and when the disciples noticed it, they began reprimanding them. 16 But Jesus called them to Himself, saying [to the apostles], “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God [with faith and humility] like a child will not enter it at all.”
The Rich Young Ruler
18 A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially and morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?”(A) 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially and morally] good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not testify falsely, Honor your father and your mother.’”(B) 21 He replied, “I have kept all these things from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing; sell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How difficult it is for those who are wealthy 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 man [who places his faith in wealth or status] to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And those who heard it said, “[b]Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”(C)
28 Peter said, “Look, we have left all [things—homes, families, businesses] and followed You.” 29 And He said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life.”
31 Then taking the [c]twelve [disciples] aside, He said to them, “Listen carefully: we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled and completed.(D) 32 He will be betrayed and handed over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities), and will be mocked and ridiculed and insulted and abused and spit on,(E) 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise [from the dead].”(F) 34 But the disciples understood none of these things [about the approaching death and resurrection of Jesus]. This statement was hidden from them, and they did not grasp the [meaning of the] things that were said [by Jesus].
Bartimaeus Receives Sight
35 As He was approaching Jericho [on His way to Jerusalem], it happened that a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.(G) 36 Now when he heard a crowd going by, he began to ask what this was [about]. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 So he shouted out, saying, “Jesus, [d]Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 39 Those who were leading the way were sternly telling him to keep quiet; but he screamed all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that the blind man be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me regain my sight!” 42 Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus, glorifying and praising and honoring God. And all the people, when they saw it, praised God.
Footnotes
- Luke 18:5 Or in the end she will come and give me a black eye.
- Luke 18:26 The common opinion was that the wealthy had been blessed by God, and would probably enter the kingdom of God provided that they met all their financial obligations (tithes, offerings) to Him and were charitable to those less fortunate.
- Luke 18:31 See note 6:13.
- Luke 18:38 A common Messianic title recognizing the Messiah as a descendant of David.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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