Luke 18:1–23

Parables on Prayer

¹Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ^aought to pray and not to ^blose heart,

²saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not ^arespect man.

³“There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘¹Give me legal protection from my opponent.’

⁴“For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor ^arespect man,

⁵yet ^abecause this widow bothers me, I will ¹give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will ^2bwear me out.’ ”

⁶And ^athe Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge ^*said;

⁷now, will not God ^abring about justice for His ^belect who cry to Him day and night, ¹and will He ^cdelay long over them?

⁸“I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, ^awill He find ¹faith on the earth?”

The Pharisee and the Publican

⁹And He also told this parable to some people who ^atrusted in themselves that they were righteous, and ^bviewed others with contempt:

¹⁰“Two men ^awent up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

¹¹“The Pharisee ^astood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

¹²‘I ^afast twice a week; I ^bpay tithes of all that I get.’

¹³“But the tax collector, ^astanding some distance away, ^bwas even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^cwas beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be ¹merciful to me, the sinner!’

¹⁴“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; ^afor everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

^15aAnd they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.

¹⁶But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

¹⁷“Truly I say to you, ^awhoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

The Rich Young Ruler

^18aA ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

²⁰“You know the commandments, ‘^aDo not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ”

²¹And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

²²When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; ^asell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have ^btreasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

²³But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.