Luke 18
Modern English Version
The Parable of the Widow and the Judge
18 He told them a parable to illustrate that it is necessary always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said: “In a city there was a judge who did not fear God or regard man. 3 And a widow was in that city. She came to him, saying, ‘Avenge me against my adversary.’
4 “He would not for a while. Yet afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I do not fear God or respect man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she will weary me.’ ”
6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge says. 7 And shall not God avenge His own elect and be patient with them, who cry day and night to Him? 8 I tell you, He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He told this parable to some who trusted in themselves, as though they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed these things about himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I tithe of all that I earn.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but struck his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Little Children Blessed(A)
15 They also brought infants to Him that He might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Permit the little children to come to Me, and do not hinder them. For to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will in no wise enter it.”
The Rich Ruler(B)
18 A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother.[a]”
21 He said, “All these I have kept since my youth.”
22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “Yet you lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.”
23 When he heard this he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. 24 When Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches 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 to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard this said, “Who then can be saved?”
27 He said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28 Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
29 He said to them, “Truly, I tell you, there is no man who has left his home or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection a Third Time(C)
31 Taking the twelve, He said, “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished, 32 for He will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and put Him to death, and on the third day He will rise again.”
34 They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what was spoken.
The Healing of a Blind Beggar Near Jericho(D)
35 As He was drawing near Jericho, a certain blind man sat along the way begging. 36 Hearing a crowd passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38 He cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who went in front rebuked him, so that he would keep quiet. But he cried out much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to Him. When he came near, He asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, grant that I may receive my sight.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God. When all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.
Footnotes
Luke 18
New King James Version
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men (A)always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor [a]regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, [b]‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 (B)yet because this widow troubles me I will [c]avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And (C)shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you (D)that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 Also He spoke this parable to some (E)who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee (F)stood and prayed thus with himself, (G)‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; (H)for everyone who exalts himself will be [d]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children(I)
15 (J)Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for (K)of such is the kingdom of God. 17 (L)Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler(M)
18 (N)Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but (O)One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: (P)‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ (Q)‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
21 And he said, “All (R)these things I have kept from my youth.”
22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. (S)Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
With God All Things Are Possible(T)
24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, (U)“How hard it is for those who have riches 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 to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But He said, (V)“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
28 (W)Then Peter said, “See, we have left [e]all and followed You.”
29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, (X)there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 (Y)who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection(Z)
31 (AA)Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things (AB)that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be [f]accomplished. 32 For (AC)He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
34 (AD)But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.
A Blind Man Receives His Sight(AE)
35 (AF)Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, (AG)Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; (AH)your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, (AI)glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Footnotes
- Luke 18:2 respect
- Luke 18:3 Avenge me on
- Luke 18:5 vindicate
- Luke 18:14 put down
- Luke 18:28 NU our own
- Luke 18:31 fulfilled
Luke 18
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
18 Also [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to [a]turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).
2 He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man.
3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary.
4 And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man,
5 Yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me [b]intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or [c]at the last she come and rail on me or [d]assault me or [e]strangle me.
6 Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says!
7 And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He [f]defer them and [g]delay help on their behalf?
8 I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [[h]persistence in] faith on the earth?
9 He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men:
10 Two men went up into the temple [[i]enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee [j]took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers—or even like this tax collector here.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.
13 But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the [k]especially wicked sinner that I am!
14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.
15 Now they were also bringing [even] babies to Him that He might touch them, and when the disciples noticed it, they reproved them.
16 But Jesus called them [[l]the parents] to Him, saying, Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such [as these] belongs the kingdom of God.
17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] shall not in any way enter it [at all].
18 And a certain ruler asked Him, Good Teacher [You who are [m]essentially and perfectly [n]morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?
19 Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me [[o]essentially and perfectly [p]morally] good? No one is [[q]essentially and perfectly [r]morally] good—except God only.
20 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not witness falsely, honor your father and your mother.(A)
21 And he replied, All these I have kept from my youth.
22 And when Jesus heard it, He said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell everything that you have and [s]divide [the money] among the poor, and you will have [rich] treasure in heaven; and come back [and] follow Me [become My disciple, join My party, and accompany Me].
23 But when he heard this, he became distressed and very sorrowful, for he was rich—exceedingly so.
24 Jesus, observing him, said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to enter through a needle’s eye than [for] a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
26 And those who heard it said, Then who can be saved?
27 But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God.(B)
28 And Peter said, See, we have left our own [things—home, family, and business] and have followed You.
29 And He said to them, I say to you truly, 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 in return many times more in this world and, in the coming age, eternal life.
31 Then taking the Twelve [apostles] aside, He said to them, Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written about the Son of Man through and by the prophets will be fulfilled.(C)
32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be made sport of and scoffed and jeered at and insulted and spit upon.(D)
33 They will flog Him and kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again.(E)
34 But they understood nothing of these things; His words were a mystery and hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was telling them.
35 As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.
37 They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.
38 And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!
39 But those who were in front reproved him, telling him to keep quiet; yet he [t]screamed and shrieked so much the more, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!
40 Then Jesus stood still and ordered that he 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 receive my sight!
42 And Jesus said to him, Receive your sight! Your faith ([u]your trust and confidence that spring from your faith in God) has healed you.
43 And instantly he received his sight and began to follow Jesus, [v]recognizing, praising, and honoring God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.
Footnotes
- Luke 18:1 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:5 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
- Luke 18:5 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:5 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
- Luke 18:7 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
- Luke 18:7 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:8 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:10 Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.
- Luke 18:11 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:13 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:16 Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Holy Bible.
- Luke 18:18 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:18 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
- Luke 18:19 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:19 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
- Luke 18:19 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:19 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
- Luke 18:22 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:39 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Luke 18:42 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 18:43 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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