Luke:18

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Then he told them a parable , to show that they ought always to pray and not lose heart . * He said : »In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man . * And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying , ‘Grant me justice against my adversary .’ * For a while he refused ; but afterward he said to himself , ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man , * yet because this widow bothers me , I will give her justice , or she will wear me out by her continual coming .’« * And the Lord said , »Hear what the unjust judge says . * And will not God bring about justice for his elect , who cry to him day and night ? Will he delay long over them ? * I tell you that he will bring about justice for them speedily . Nevertheless , when the Son of Man comes , will he find faith on the earth ?« * Also he told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous , and despised others : * »Two men went up to the temple to pray , one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector . * The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself , ‘God , I thank you that I am not like other men —extortioners , unjust , adulterers , or even like this tax collector . * I fast twice a week ; I give tithes of all that I get .’ * 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 !’ * I tell you , this man went down to his house justified rather than the other ; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted .« * Now they were also bringing infants to him that he might touch them ; but when the disciples saw it , they rebuked them . * But Jesus called them to him and said , »Let the little children come to me , and do not hinder them ; for to such belongs the kingdom of God . * Truly , I say to you , whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it .« * Now a certain ruler asked him , »Good Teacher , what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?« * So Jesus said to him , »Why do you call me good ? No one is good but God alone . * You know the commandments : ‘Do not commit adultery , Do not murder , Do not steal , Do not bear false witness , Honor your father and mother .’« * And he said , »All these I have kept from my youth .« * When Jesus heard it , 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 .« * But when he heard this , he became very sad , for he was extremely rich . * Jesus looked at him and said , »How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God ! * For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God .« * Those who heard it said , »Then who can be saved ?« * But he said , »What is impossible with men is possible with God .« * Then Peter said , »Behold , we have left all and followed you .« * So he said to them , »Truly , I say to you , there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children , for the sake of the kingdom of God , * who will not receive many times more in this time , and in the age to come eternal life .« * Then he took the twelve aside and said to them , »Behold , we are going up to Jerusalem , and everything that is written of the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished . * For he will be delivered to the Gentiles , and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon . * They will scourge him and kill him , and on the third day he will rise again .« * But they understood none of these things ; this saying was hidden from them , and they did not know what he was talking about . * As he drew near to Jericho , a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging . * And hearing a multitude going by , he asked what this meant . * They told him , »Jesus of Nazareth is passing by .« * And he cried out , »Jesus , Son of David , have mercy on me !« * And those who led the way rebuked him , telling him to be quiet ; but he cried out all the more , »Son of David , have mercy on me !« * So Jesus stopped , and commanded him to be brought to him . And when he came near , he asked him , * »What do you want me to do for you ?« He said , »Lord , I want to receive my sight .« * And Jesus said to him , »Receive your sight ; your faith has made you well .« * And immediately he received his sight and followed him , glorifying God . And all the people , when they saw it , gave praise to God .

---