1NowHe was tellingthem a parableto show that at all timesthey oughtto prayand not to lose heart,2saying,"In a certaincitytherewas a judgewho did not fearGodand did not respectman.3"There was a widowin that city,and she kept comingto him, saying,Give me legal protectionfrom my opponent.'4"For a whilehe was unwilling;but afterwardhe saidto himself,'EventhoughI do not fearGodnorrespectman,5yetbecausethiswidowbothersme, I will give her legal protection,otherwiseby continuallycomingshe will wearme out.'"6And the Lordsaid,"Hearwhatthe unrighteousjudgesaid;7now,will not Godbring aboutjusticefor His electwho cryto Him dayand night,and will He delay longoverthem?8"I tellyou that He will bring aboutjusticefor them quickly.However,when the Sonof Mancomes,will He findfaithon the earth?"
9And He alsotoldthisparableto some peoplewho trustedin themselvesthat they were righteous,and viewedotherswith contempt:10"Twomenwentup into the templeto pray,onea Phariseeand the othera tax collector.11"The Phariseestoodand was prayingthisto himself:'God,I thankYou that I amnot likeother people:swindlers,unjust,adulterers,orevenlikethistax collector.12I fasttwicea week;I pay tithesof allthat I get.'13"But the tax collector,standingsome distance away,was evenunwillingto liftup his eyesto heaven,but was beatinghis breast,saying,'God,be mercifulto me, the sinner!'14"I tellyou, this manwentto his housejustifiedrather thanthe other;for everyonewho exaltshimselfwill be humbled,but he who humbleshimselfwill be exalted."
15And they were bringingeventheir babiesto Him sothat He would touchthem, but when the disciplessawit, they [began] rebukingthem.16But Jesuscalledfor them, saying,"Permitthe childrento cometo Me, and do not hinderthem, for the kingdomof Godbelongsto such as these.17"TrulyI sayto you, whoeverdoes not receivethe kingdomof Godlikea childwill not enterit [at all]."
18A rulerquestionedHim, saying,"GoodTeacher,whatshall I doto inheriteternallife?"19And Jesussaidto him, "Whydo you callMe good?No oneis goodexceptGodalone.20"You knowthe commandments,DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,DO NOT MURDER,DO NOT STEAL,DO NOT BEAR false WITNESS,HONORYOUR FATHERAND MOTHER.'"21And he said,"Allthese thingsI have keptfrom [my] youth."22When Jesusheard[this], He saidto him, "One thingyou stilllack;sellallthat you possessand distributeit to the poor,and you shall havetreasurein heaven;and come,followMe."23But when he had heardthese things,he becamevery sad,for he was extremelyrich.24And Jesuslookedat him and said,"Howhardit is for thosewho are wealthyto enterthe kingdomof God!25"For it is easierfor a camelto gothroughthe eyeof a needlethanfor a rich manto enterthe kingdomof God."26They who heardit said,"Thenwhocanbe saved?"27But He said,"The things that are impossiblewith peopleare possiblewith God."
28Petersaid,"Behold,we have leftour own[homes] and followedYou."29And He saidto them, "TrulyI sayto you, there is no onewhohas lefthouseorwifeorbrothersorparentsorchildren,for the sakeof the kingdomof God,30whowill not receivemany times as muchat thistimeand in the ageto come,eternallife."
31ThenHe tookthe twelveasideand saidto them, "Behold,we are goingup to Jerusalem,and all thingswhich are writtenthroughthe prophetsabout the Sonof Manwill be accomplished.32"For He will be handedover to the Gentiles,and will be mockedand mistreatedand spitupon,33and after they have scourgedHim, they will killHim; and the thirddayHe will rise again."34But the disciples understoodnoneof these things, and [the meaning of] thisstatementwas hiddenfrom them, and they did not comprehendthe things that were said.
35As Jesus was approachingJericho,a blind manwas sittingby the roadbegging.36Nowhearinga crowdgoingby, he [began] to inquirewhatthiswas.37They toldhim that Jesusof Nazarethwas passingby.38And he calledout, saying,"Jesus,Sonof David,have mercyon me!"39Thosewho led the waywere sternly tellinghim to be quiet;but he kept cryingout allthe more,"Sonof David,have mercyon me!"40And Jesusstoppedand commandedthat he be broughtto Him; and when he came near,He questionedhim,41"Whatdo you wantMe to dofor you?" And he said,"Lord,[I want] to regain my sight!"42And Jesussaidto him, "Receive your sight;your faithhas made you well."43Immediatelyhe regained his sightand [began] followingHim, glorifyingGod;and when allthe peoplesawit, they gavepraiseto God.
