The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1ThenJesus toldthema parableabouttheirneedto prayat all timesandnotlose heart:2“Ina certaintownthere wasajudgewho neitherfearedGodnorrespectedmen.3Andthere wasa widowinthattownwho kept appealingtohim,‘Give me justiceagainstmyadversary.’
4Fora whilehe refused,butlaterhesaidtohimself,‘ThoughI neitherfearGodnorrespectmen,5yetbecausethiswidowkeeps pestering me,I will give her justice.Thenshe will stop wearing me outwith her perpetual requests.’”
6AndtheLordsaid,“Listen tothe wordsof theunjustjudge.7Will notGodbring aboutjustice forHiselectwhocry outto Himdayandnight?Will He continue to defertheir help?8I tellyou,He will promptly carry outjusticeon their behalf.Nevertheless,when theSonof Mancomes,will He findfaithonearth?”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9Tosomewhotrustedintheir ownrighteousnessandviewedothers with contempt,He also toldthisparable:10“Twomenwent uptothetempleto pray.One wasa Phariseeandtheothera tax collector.11ThePhariseestoodbyhimselfand prayed,‘God,I thankYouthatI amnotliketheothermen—swindlers,evildoers,adulterers—orevenlikethistax collector.12I fasttwiceaweekand pay tithesof all thatI acquire.’
13Butthetax collectorstoodat a distance,unwilling evento lift uphiseyestoheaven.Instead,he beathisbreastand said,‘God,have mercyon me,asinner!’14I tellyou,this man,rather thanthe Pharisee,went homejustified.Foreveryonewhoexaltshimselfwill be humbled,butthe one whohumbleshimselfwill be exalted.”
Jesus Blesses the Children
(Matthew 19:13–15;Mark 10:13–16)
15Nowpeople were even bringingtheirbabiesto JesusforHim to place His handson them.And whenthedisciplessaw this,they rebukedthose who brought them.
16ButJesuscalled the children to Himand said,“Letthelittle childrencometoMe,anddo nothinderthem!Forthekingdomof Godbelongstosuch as these.17TrulyI tellyou,anyone whodoes not receivethekingdomof Godlikea little childwill never enterit.”
The Rich Young Ruler
(Matthew 19:16–30;Mark 10:17–31)
18Thena certainruleraskedHim,“GoodTeacher,whatmust I doto inheriteternallife?”
19“Whydo you callMegood?”Jesusreplied.“No one isgoodexceptGodalone.20You knowthecommandments:‘Do not commit adultery,do not murder,do not steal,do not bear false witness,honoryourfatherandmother.’”
21“AlltheseI have keptfrommyyouth,”he said.
22Onhearing this,Jesustoldhim,“Youstilllackone thing:Selleverythingyou ownandgiveto the poor,andyou will havetreasureinheaven.Thencome,followMe.”
23Butwhen the ruler heardthis,he becamevery sad,becausehe wasextremelywealthy.
24Seeingthe man’ssadness,Jesussaid,“Howhard it isfor therichto enterthekingdomof God!25Indeed,it iseasier fora camelto passthroughthe eyeof a needlethan fora rich manto enterthekingdomof God.”
26Those whoheard thisasked,“Whothencanbe saved?”
27ButJesus said,“What isimpossiblewithmanispossiblewithGod.”
28“Look,”saidPeter,“wehave leftall we hadto followYou.”
29“TrulyI tellyou,”Jesus replied,“no onewhohas lefthomeorwifeorbrothersorparentsorchildrenfor the sake ofthekingdomof God30will fail to receivemany times moreinthisage—andintheageto come,eternallife.”
The Third Prediction of the Passion
(Matthew 20:17–19;Mark 10:32–34)
31ThenJesus tooktheTwelve asideand saidtothem,“Look,we are going uptoJerusalem,andeverythingtheprophetshave writtenabout theSonof Manwill be fulfilled.32He will be delivered overto theGentilesandwill be mockedandinsultedandspit upon.33They will flog Himand killHim,andon thethirddayHe will rise again.”
34Butthe disciplesdid not understand anyof these things.Themeaningwashiddenfromthem,andthey did not comprehendwhatHe was saying.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
(Matthew 20:29–34;Mark 10:46–52)
35AsJesusdrew neartoJericho,ablind manwas sittingbesidetheroad,begging.36Whenhe heardthe crowdgoing by,he askedwhatwashappening.
37“JesusofNazarethis passing by,”they toldhim.
38Sohe called out,“Jesus,Sonof David,have mercy onme!”
39Those wholed the wayadmonishedhimto be silent,buthe cried outall thelouder,“Sonof David,have mercy onme!”
40Jesusstoppedand directed thatthe manbe broughttoHim.Whenhehad been brought near,Jesus askedhim,41“Whatdo you wantMe to dofor you?”
“Lord,”he said,“let me see again.”
42“Receive your sight!”Jesusreplied.“Yourfaithhas healedyou.”43Immediatelyhe received his sightandfollowedJesus,glorifyingGod.Andallthepeoplewho saw thisgavepraiseto God.
