Lukas 18 | New International Reader’s Version

The story of the widow who would not give up

1 Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said, ‘In a certain town there was a judge. He didn’t have any respect for God or care about what people thought. 3 A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, “Make things right for me. Someone is treating me badly.” 4 ‘For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, “I don’t have any respect for God. I don’t care about what people think. 5 But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don’t, she will someday come and attack me!” ’ 6 The Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unfair judge says. 7 God’s chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won’t he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?’

The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector

9 Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everyone else. 10 He said to them, ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed. “God, I thank you that I am not like other people,” he said. “I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all I get.” 13 ‘But the tax collector stood further away than the Pharisee. He would not even look up to heaven. He brought his hand to his heart and prayed. He said, “God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.” 14 ‘I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. All those who lift themselves up will be made humble. And those who make themselves humble will be lifted up.’

Little children are brought to Jesus

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the babies. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop. 16 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. ‘Let the little children come to me,’ he said. ‘Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. 17 What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.’

Rich people and the kingdom of God

18 A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. ‘Good teacher’, he said, ‘what must I do to receive eternal life?’ 19 ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good except God. 20 You know what the commandments say. “Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Honour your father and mother.” ’ 21 ‘I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy,’ the ruler said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.’ 23 When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich. 24 Jesus looked at him. Then he said, ‘How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25 Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!’ 26 Those who heard this asked, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27 Jesus replied, ‘Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.’ 28 Peter said to him, ‘We have left everything we had in order to follow you!’ 29 ‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Has anyone left home or wife or husband or brothers or sisters or parents or children for God’s kingdom? 30 They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will receive eternal life.’

Jesus speaks a third time about his coming death

31 Jesus took the 12 disciples to one side. He told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. 33 They will whip him and kill him. On the third day, he will rise from the dead!’ 34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn’t know what Jesus was talking about.

A blind beggar receives his sight

35 Jesus was approaching Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. 36 The blind man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was happening. 37 They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ 38 So the blind man called out, ‘Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!’ 39 Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, ‘Son of David! Have mercy on me!’ 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus spoke to him. 41 ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked. ‘Lord, I want to be able to see,’ the blind man replied. 42 Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.’ 43 Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

English Standard Version

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who 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, ‘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 will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed* thus: ‘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; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up 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. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let the Children Come to Me

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

The Rich Ruler

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to 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: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. 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 these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, 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 go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I 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 more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

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

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

35 As he drew near to Jericho, 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, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front 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 “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; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Lukas 18 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version