Luke 18
1 [Jesus] told [his disciples] a parable to teach them that they always ought to pray confidently and not be discouraged [if God does not immediately answer their prayers].
He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not revere God, and did not care about people, either.
saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect people.
3 There was a widow in that city who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Please decide what is just [in the dispute between me and] the man who is opposing me [in court!’]
A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'
4 For a long time the judge refused [to help her]. But later he thought to himself, ‘I do not revere God and I do not care about people,
He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect people,
5 but this widow keeps bothering me! So I will make sure that she is treated justly. [If I do not do that], she will exhaust me by continually coming to me!’”
yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"
6 Then the Lord [Jesus] said, “[Even though] the judge was not a righteous man, think carefully about what he said!
The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
7 [Similarly], (God will certainly show that [what you] have done has been right!/will God not show that [what you] have done has been right?) [RHQ] He will do this for you whom he has chosen. [He will do this for you] who pray earnestly to him night and day, asking him to [help you]. He may delay [helping you].
Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
8 But I tell you, [some day] he will show that what you did was right, and he will do it quickly. But when [I], the one who came from heaven, return to earth, (there may not be [many people who will still] be trusting [that I will vindicate them] (OR, who will still be trusting in me)./will there be [many people who will still] be trusting [that I will vindicate them] (OR, who will still be trusting in me)?) [RHQ]”
I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
9 [Jesus] also told a parable [to warn] people who mistakenly thought that they were doing things that made them acceptable to God. Besides, they also despised other people.
He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
10 [He said this]: “Two men went up to the Temple [in Jerusalem] to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed silently, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men. [Some] extort money [from others]; some treat others unjustly; some commit adultery. [I do not do such things. And I am certainly not] like this tax collector [who cheats people]!
The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like other people, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 [Our law says that we(exc) should] (fast/abstain from food) [once a week], [but I do more than that. I] fast twice a week! I give [you] ten percent of all that I earn!’
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'
13 But the tax collector stood far [from the other people in the Temple courtyard because he felt very unworthy]. He would not even look up toward heaven. Instead, he beat on his chest [to show that he was sorry for his sin]. He said, ‘God, I am a sinner; be merciful to me [and forgive me]!’”
But the tax collector, standing far away, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'
14 [Then Jesus said], “I tell you [(pl)] that as the tax collector went home, the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}, not that of the Pharisee. [Remember this]: Those who exalt themselves will be humbled {[God] will humble all those who exalt themselves}, but those who humble themselves will be exalted {[he] will exalt those who humble themselves}.”
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
15 [One day when many people were coming to Jesus], they were also bringing small children. They wanted him to put his hands on [the children and bless them]. When the disciples saw that, they rebuked [those who were bringing those children].
Now they were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called the children [to come to him]. He said to his disciples, “Let the children come to me! Do not stop them! It is people who are [humble and trusting] like they are who can experience God ruling [their lives].
Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
17 Note this: Those who do not [trust God and] allow him to direct [their lives], as children [do], will not enter the [MET] place where God rules.”
Truly, I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."
18 A [Jewish] leader asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what shall I do in order to have eternal life?” (aiōnios g166)
A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?" (aiōnios g166)
19 Jesus said to him, “Only God is good! No one [else] is good! (So you(sg) should consider carefully what [you are implying by] calling me good!/[Do you realize that you are implying that I am God by] calling me good?) [RHQ]
Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God.
20 [But to answer your question], you [(sg)] know the commandments that [God gave Moses. He commanded such things as] ‘do not commit adultery, do not commit murder, do not steal, do not testify falsely [about what you have seen or heard], honor your father and mother.’”
You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"
21 The man said, “I have obeyed all those [commandments] ever since I was young. [So] ([there must be something else I have not done./is that enough]?)”
And he said, "I have kept all these things from my youth up."
22 When Jesus heard [him say] that, he replied to him, “There is one thing that you [(sg)] have not [done] yet. Sell all that you own. Then give [the money] to poor people. [The result will be that] you will have [spiritual] riches in heaven. Then come and be my disciple!”
When Jesus heard it, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."
23 The man became sad when he heard that, because he was very rich [and he did not want to give everything away].
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
24 Jesus looked at the man [as he left], and said, “It is very difficult for those who are wealthy [to decide] to let God rule [MET] their [lives].
And Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 [You would say] that it is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It is [almost] as difficult [HYP] for rich people [to decide] to let God rule their [lives].”
For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God."
26 [The Jews thought that God favored rich people, so they thought that if God did not save rich people, he would not save others, either]. So [one of the disciples] who heard him say that replied, “If that is so, it seems that no one will be saved {[that God] will not save anyone} [RHQ]!”
Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"
27 But Jesus said, “It is impossible for people [to save themselves]. But [God can save them, because] God can do anything!”
But he said, "The things which are impossible with man are possible with God."
28 Then Peter said, “[You know that we(exc) have left] everything we had and have become your disciples [RHQ]. [So what about us?] (OR, [So will God accept/save us?]”)
And Peter said, "Look, we have left our own things and followed you."
29 He said to them, “Keep this in mind: Those who have left [their] homes, [their] wives, [their] brothers, [their] parents, [their] children, [or any other family members], [to tell others] about how God wants to rule [MET] [people’s lives],
He said to them, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
31 [Jesus] took the twelve [disciples] to a place by themselves and said to them, “Listen carefully! We [(inc)] are [now] going up to Jerusalem. [While we are there], everything that has been written by the prophets {that the prophets have written} about [me], the one who came from heaven, will be fulfilled {will occur}.
He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
32 I will be put into the hands of {[My enemies] will hand me over to} non-Jews. [The non-Jews] will make fun of me and mistreat me and spit on me.
For he will be delivered up to the non-Jews, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
33 They will whip me, and [then] they will kill me. But on the third day [after that] I will become alive again.”
They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again."
34 But [the disciples] did not understand any of those things that [he said]. They were prevented {[Something] prevented them} from understanding the meaning of what [he] was telling [them].
They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not understand the things that were said.
35 As [Jesus and his disciples] came near to Jericho [city], a blind man was sitting beside the road. [He was] begging [for money].
It happened, as he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.
36 When he heard the crowd [of people] passing by, he asked someone, “What is happening?”
Hearing a crowd going by, he asked what this meant.
37 They told him, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth [town], is passing by.”
They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38 He shouted, “Jesus, [you who are] descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."
39 Those who were [walking] at the front [of the crowd] scolded the man [and] told him to be quiet. But he shouted more loudly, “You who are descended from [King] David, [the Messiah], pity me!”
Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me."
40 Jesus stopped and told [people] to bring the man to him. When [the blind man] came near, Jesus asked him,
Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,
41 “What do you [(sg)] want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, enable me to see [again]!”
"What do you want me to do?" He said, "Lord, that I may see again."
42 Jesus said to him, “[Then] see! Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me], [I] have healed you!”
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."
43 Immediately he was able to see! And he went with [Jesus], praising God. And when all the people who were [going with Jesus] saw it, they also praised God.
And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.
