Luke 18

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: ‡ Col 4:2Rom 12:121Th 5:17Php 4:6Eph 6:18Psa 55:16-17Jer 29:12Luk 21:36 +142 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. ‡ Luk 18:4Pro 29:7Psa 8:1-4Ezk 22:6-8Jer 22:16-172Ch 19:3-9Job 29:7-17Mic 3:1-3 +33 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ‡ Isa 1:17Jer 5:28Job 22:9Deu 27:19Job 29:13Luk 18:7-8Rom 13:3-42Sa 14:5-24 +1

4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, ‡ Heb 4:12-13Luk 12:17Luk 16:3 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’” ‡ Luk 11:8Luk 18:39Jdg 16:16Mrk 10:47-482Sa 13:24-27Mat 15:23

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. ‡ Luk 7:13 7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? ‡ 2Pe 3:9Heb 10:35-371Ti 5:5Luk 11:132Th 1:6Jer 20:11-13Luk 2:37Rev 6:10 +168 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” ‡ Heb 10:23-262Pe 3:8-9Mat 24:9-13Psa 46:5Luk 17:26-301Th 5:1-32Pe 2:3Psa 143:7-9 +2

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: ‡ Luk 16:15Pro 30:12Isa 65:5Rom 10:3Rom 14:10Rom 9:31-32Jhn 7:47-49Luk 7:39 +1210 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ‡ Mat 21:31-321Ki 8:302Ki 20:5Act 3:12Ki 20:8Act 23:6-8Act 26:5Luk 1:9-10 +311 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ¹ ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ‡ Mat 6:5Rev 3:17Isa 65:5Jer 2:35Mrk 11:25Jas 2:9-121Co 15:9-101Co 4:7-8 +1312 I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ ‡ Luk 11:42Mat 23:23-24Luk 17:10Mat 9:141Ti 4:8Lev 27:30-33Mal 3:8Mat 15:7-9 +15

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ ‡ 1Jn 1:8-10Ezr 9:61Ti 1:15Psa 41:4Heb 8:12Luk 7:6-7Heb 4:16Luk 23:48 +3014 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” ‡ Luk 14:11Luk 16:15Jas 4:10Mat 23:12Pro 29:23Jas 4:6Luk 1:52Psa 138:6 +29

Jesus Blesses the Children

(Matthew 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16)

15 Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them. ‡ Mat 19:13-15Mrk 10:13-161Sa 1:24Luk 9:49-50Luk 9:54

16 But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ‡ Mat 18:3-41Co 14:201Co 7:14Deu 31:121Pe 2:2Act 2:39Gen 21:4Deu 29:11 +317 Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ‡ Mat 18:3Mrk 10:15Psa 131:1-21Pe 1:14

The Rich Young Ruler

(Matthew 19:16–30; Mark 10:17–31)

18 Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ‡ Mrk 10:17-31Act 16:30Mat 19:16-30Act 2:37Ezk 33:31Luk 10:25-28Jhn 13:13-15Luk 6:46 +1

19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. ‡ Jas 1:17Job 15:14-16Heb 7:261Ti 3:16Job 14:4Job 25:4Luk 1:35Luk 11:13 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.’ ²” ‡ Exo 20:12-17Deu 5:16-21Mat 19:17-19Rom 13:9Col 3:20Eph 6:2Gal 3:10-13Isa 8:20 +5

21 “All these I have kept from my youth,” he said. ‡ Php 3:6Luk 18:11-12Mat 19:20-21Mrk 10:20-21Luk 15:29Luk 15:7Rom 10:2-3

22 On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” ‡ Luk 12:331Ti 6:18-19Mat 19:21Mat 6:19-20Luk 10:42Luk 16:9Luk 9:23Psa 27:4 +6

23 But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy. ‡ Ezk 33:311Jn 2:15Job 31:24-25Luk 21:34Mat 19:22Mrk 10:22Col 3:5Eph 5:5 +5

24 Seeing the man’s sadness, ³ Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ‡ Pro 11:28Jas 2:5-7Mrk 10:23-27Pro 30:91Ti 6:9-102Co 7:9-10Mat 19:23-25Psa 10:3 +925 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ‡ Mat 23:24

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” ‡ Luk 13:23

27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” ‡ Jer 32:17Luk 1:37Mat 19:26Job 42:2Gen 18:14Eph 1:19-20Dan 4:35Eph 2:4-10 +1

28 “Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had ⁴to follow You.” ‡ Mrk 10:28Php 3:7Luk 5:11Mat 19:27Mat 4:19-22Mat 9:9

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ‡ Mrk 10:29-31Mat 10:37-39Luk 14:26-28Mat 19:28-30Deu 33:9 30 will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.” ‡ Job 42:10Heb 13:5-6Rev 2:17Luk 12:31-32Mat 12:321Ti 4:81Ti 6:6Psa 119:103 +10

The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Matthew 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34)

31 Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. ‡ Mat 20:17-19Isa 53:1-12Mrk 10:32-34Psa 22:1-31Luk 24:44-46Mat 16:21Luk 9:22Luk 9:51 +732 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. ‡ Luk 23:11Isa 50:6Isa 53:3Act 3:13Mrk 14:65Isa 52:14Mat 16:21Mat 26:67 +1433 They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.” ‡ Luk 24:71Co 15:3-4Luk 24:21Mat 16:21Mat 27:63

34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying. ‡ Luk 9:45Mrk 9:32Jhn 12:16Jhn 16:1-19Luk 2:50Luk 24:25Luk 24:45Jhn 10:6

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

(Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52)

35 As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. ‡ Mat 20:29-34Jhn 9:8Luk 16:20-21Mrk 10:46-521Sa 2:8Act 3:2Luk 19:1 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ‡ Mat 21:10-11Luk 15:26

37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. ‡ Mat 2:23Jhn 1:45Jhn 19:192Co 6:2Act 2:22Act 4:10Jhn 12:35-36Luk 2:51 +1

38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ‡ Mat 9:27Luk 18:39Mat 15:22Isa 9:6-7Mat 21:9Rom 1:3Jer 23:5Mat 12:23 +5

39 Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ‡ Gen 32:26-28Psa 141:1Luk 11:8-10Luk 18:15Mat 26:40-442Co 12:8Jer 29:12-13Luk 11:52 +5

40 Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him, ‡ Mat 20:31-34Mrk 10:48-52 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” ‡ 1Ki 3:5-15Mat 20:21-22Php 4:6Rom 8:25

“Lord,” he said, “let me see again.”

42 “Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.” ‡ Luk 8:48Luk 17:19Mat 8:3Mat 9:22Luk 7:50Psa 107:20Psa 33:9Mat 15:28 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people who saw this gave praise to God. ‡ Psa 146:82Th 1:10-12Act 11:18Act 26:18Act 4:21Gal 1:24Isa 29:18-19Isa 35:5 +21