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].
And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
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 in a city a judge, who feared not God, neither regarded man:
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!’]
And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of 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,
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
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 troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 Then the Lord [Jesus] said, “[Even though] the judge was not a righteous man, think carefully about what he said!
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
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].
And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night to him, though he beareth long 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 speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall 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.
And he spoke this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised 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; the one a Pharisee, and the other 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 thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as 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 in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
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]!’”
And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall 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].
And they brought to him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his 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].
But Jesus called them to him, and said, Permit the little children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
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.”
Verily I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall by no means enter into it.
18 A [Jewish] leader asked [Jesus], “Good teacher, what shall I do in order to have eternal life?” (aiōnios g166)
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal 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]
And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, except one, that is, 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.’”
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy 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, All these have I kept from my youth.
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!”
Now when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and 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].
And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: 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 when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hard it is for them that 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 go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man 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]!”
And they that heard it said, Who then 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 men 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?]”)
Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
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],
And he said to them, Verily I say to you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
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}.
Then he took the twelve, and said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
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 shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully treated, and spitted on:
33 They will whip me, and [then] they will kill me. But on the third day [after that] I will become alive again.”
And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall 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].
And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
35 As [Jesus and his disciples] came near to Jericho [city], a blind man was sitting beside the road. [He was] begging [for money].
And it came to pass, that as he had come near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
36 When he heard the crowd [of people] passing by, he asked someone, “What is happening?”
And hearing the multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.
37 They told him, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth [town], is passing by.”
And 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!”
And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou 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!”
And they who went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou 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,
And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to him: and 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]!”
Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do to thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 Jesus said to him, “[Then] see! Because you have trusted [PRS] [in me], [I] have healed you!”
And Jesus said to him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
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: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
