Saying 7

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness^(A) and looked down on everyone else,^(B) Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray,^(C) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself^(D) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast^(E) twice a week and give a tenth^(F) of all I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast^(G) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’^(H)

¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”^(I)

The Little Children and Jesus^(J)

¹⁵ People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child^(K) will never enter it.”

Jesus Made Fully Human

⁵ It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶ But there is a place where someone^(A) has testified:

In putting everything under them,^[d] God left nothing that is not subject to them.^[e] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.^{[f] 9} But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor^(D) because he suffered death,^(E) so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.^(F)

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,^(G) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.^{(H) 11} Both the one who makes people holy^(I) and those who are made holy^(J) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^{[g](K) 12} He says,

¹³ And again,

And again he says,

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood,^(O) he too shared in their humanity^(P) so that by his death he might break the power^(Q) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(R)— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear^(S) of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.^{(T) 17} For this reason he had to be made like them,^[k](U) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful^(V) and faithful high priest^(W) in service to God,^(X) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.^{(Y) 18} Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.^(Z)