Luke 18
English Standard Version
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. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who (C)neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, (D)‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 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? 8 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
9 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
- Luke 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself
- Luke 18:29 Or wife or brothers and sisters
Luke 18
1599 Geneva Bible
18 2 The parable of the unrighteous Judge and the widow. 10 Of the Pharisee and the Publican. 15 Children are of the kingdom of heaven. 22 To sell all and give to the poor. 28 The Apostles forsake all. 31 Christ foretelleth his death. 35 The blind man receiveth sight.
1 And [a]he spake also a parable unto them, to this end, that they (A)ought always to pray, and not to [b]wax faint,
2 [c]Saying, there was a judge in a certain city, which feared not God, neither reverenced man.
3 And there was a widow in that city, which came unto him, saying, Do me justice against mine adversary.
4 And he would not of a long time: but afterward he said with himself, Though I fear not God, nor reverence man,
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will do her right, lest at the last she come and [d]make me weary.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith.
7 Now shall not God avenge his elect, which cry day and night unto him, yea, though [e]he suffer long for them?
8 I tell you he will avenge them quickly: but when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
9 ¶ [f]He spake also this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were just, and despised others.
10 Two men went up into the Temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican.
11 [g]The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, O God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican.
12 I fast twice in the week: I give tithe of all that ever I possess.
13 But the Publican standing [h]afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast, saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man departed to his house, justified rather than the other: (B)for every man that exalteth himself shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
15 ¶ (C)[i]They brought unto him also babes that he should touch them. [j]And when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 [k]But Jesus [l]called them unto him, and said, Suffer the babes to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 [m]Verily I say unto you, whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a babe, he shall not enter therein.
18 (D)Then a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what ought I do, to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, (E)Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Honor thy father and thy mother.
21 [n]And he said, All these have I kept from my youth.
22 Now when Jesus heard that, he said unto him, yet lackest thou one thing, Sell all that ever thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me.
23 But when he heard those things, he was very heavy: for he was marvelous rich.
24 [o]And when Jesus saw him very sorrowful, he said, With what difficulty shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God!
25 Surely it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 Then said they that heard it, And who then shall be saved?
27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.
28 ¶ (F)Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 [p]And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30 Which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting.
31 ¶ (G)[q]Then Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled to the Son of man, that are written by the Prophets.
32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shall be spiteful entreated, and shall be spitted on.
33 And when they have scourged him, they will put him to death: but the third day he shall rise again.
34 But they understood [r]none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither perceived they the things, which were spoken.
35 ¶ (H)[s]And it came to pass, that as he was come near unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging.
36 And when he heard the people pass by, he asked what it meant.
37 And they said unto him, that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.
38 Then he cried, saying, Jesus the Son of David, have mercy on me.
39 [t]And they which went before, rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried much more, O Son of David have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying, What wilt thou that I do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
43 Then immediately he received his sight, and followed him, praising God: and all the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God.
Footnotes
- Luke 18:1 God will have us to continue in prayer, not to weary us, but to exercise us, therefore we must so strive with impatience, that long delay cause us not to break off the course of our prayers.
- Luke 18:1 Yield to afflictions, and adversities, as they do which are out of heart.
- Luke 18:2 He doth not compare things that are equal together, but the less with the greater: If a man get his right at a most unrighteous judge’s hands, much more shall the prayers of the godly prevail before God.
- Luke 18:5 Word for word, beat me down with her blows, and it is a metaphor taken of wrestlers, who beat their adversaries with their fists or clubs: so do they that are importunate beat the judge’s ears with their crying out, even as it were with blows.
- Luke 18:7 Though he seems slow in revenging the injury done to his.
- Luke 18:9 Two things especially make our prayers void and of none effect: confidence of our own righteousness, and the contempt of others: and an humble heart is contrary to both these.
- Luke 18:11 Although we confess that whatsoever we have, we have it of God, yet are we despised of God, as proud and arrogant, if we put never so little trust in our own works before God.
- Luke 18:13 Far from the Pharisee in a lower place.
- Luke 18:15 The children were tender and young, in that they were brought, which appeareth more evidently in that, that they were infants, which is to be marked against them that are enemies to the baptizing of children.
- Luke 18:15 To judge or think of Christ after the reason of our flesh, is the cause of infinite corruptions.
- Luke 18:16 The children also of the faithful are comprehended in the free covenant of God.
- Luke 18:16 Them that carried the children, whom the disciples drove away.
- Luke 18:17 Childlike innocence is an ornament of Christians.
- Luke 18:21 The enticement of riches carrieth away many from the right way.
- Luke 18:24 To be both rich and godly, is a singular gift of God.
- Luke 18:29 They become the richest of all, which refuse not to be poor for Christ’s sake.
- Luke 18:31 As sure and certain as persecution is, so sure is the glory which remaineth for the conquerors.
- Luke 18:34 Hereby we see how ignorant the disciples were.
- Luke 18:35 Christ showeth by a visible miracle, that he is the light of the world.
- Luke 18:39 The more stops and lets that Satan layeth in our way, even by them which profess Christ’s Name, so much the more ought we to go forward.
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