1 And he spake also a parable vnto them, to this ende, that they ought alwayes to pray, and not to waxe faint, 2 Saying, There was a iudge in a certaine citie, which feared not God, neither reuereced man. 3 And there was a widowe in that citie, which came vnto him, saying, Doe mee iustice against mine aduersarie. 4 And hee would not of a long time: but afterward he said with himselfe, Though I feare not God, nor reuerence man, 5 Yet because this widowe troubleth mee, I will doe her right, lest at the last shee come and make me wearie. 6 And the Lord said, Heare what the vnrighteous iudge saith. 7 Now shall not God auenge his elect, which cry day and night vnto him, yea, though he suffer long for them? 8 I tell you he will auenge them quickly: but when the Sonne of man commeth, shall he finde faith on the earth? 9 He spake also this parable vnto certaine which trusted in themselues that they were iust, and despised other. 10 Two men went vp into the Temple to pray: the one a Pharise, and the other a Publican. 11 The Pharise stoode and prayed thus with himselfe, O God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publican. 12 I fast twise in the weeke: I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse. 13 But the Publican standing a farre off, woulde not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen, but smote his brest, saying, O God, be mercifull to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man departed to his house iustified, rather then the other: for euery man that exalteth himselfe, shall be brought lowe, and he that humbleth himselfe, shalbe exalted. 15 They brought vnto him also babes that he should touche them. And when his disciples sawe it, they rebuked them. 16 But Iesus called them vnto him, and said, Suffer the babes to come vnto mee, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdome of God. 17 Verely I say vnto you, whosoeuer receiueth not the kingdome of God as a babe, he shall not enter therein. 18 Then a certaine ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what ought I to doe, to inherite eternall life? 19 And Iesus said vnto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, saue one, euen God. 20 Thou knowest the comandements, Thou shalt not commit adulterie: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steale: Thou shalt not beare false witnes: Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And hee saide, All these haue I kept from my youth. 22 Nowe when Iesus heard that, he saide vnto him, Yet lackest thou one thing. Sell all that euer thou hast, and distribute vnto the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen, and come follow mee. 23 But when he heard those things, he was very heauie: for he was marueilous riche. 24 And when Iesus sawe him very sorowfull, he said, With what difficultie shall they that haue riches, enter into the kingdome of God! 25 Surely it is easier for a camel to go through a needles eye, then for a riche man to enter into the kingdome of God. 26 Then said they that heard it, And who then can be saued? 27 And he said, The things which are vnpossible with men, are possible with God. 28 Then Peter said, Loe, we haue left all, and haue followed thee. 29 And he said vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the kingdome of Gods sake, 30 Which shall not receiue much more in this world, and in the world to come life euerlasting. 31 Then Iesus tooke vnto him ye twelue, and said vnto them, Beholde, we goe vp to Hierusalem, and all things shalbe fulfilled to the Sonne of man, that are writttn by the Prophets. 32 For he shall be deliuered vnto the Gentiles, and shalbe mocked, and shalbe spitefully entreated, and shalbe spitted on. 33 And when they haue scourged him, they will put him to death: but the thirde day hee shall rise againe. 34 But they vnderstood none of these things, and this saying was hidde from them, neither perceiued they the things, which were spoken. 35 And it came to passe, that as he was come neere vnto Iericho, a certaine blinde man sate by the way side, begging. 36 And when he heard the people passe by, he asked what it meant. 37 And they saide vnto him, that Iesus of Nazareth passed by. 38 Then hee cried, saying, Iesus the Sonne of Dauid, haue mercie on me. 39 And they which went before, rebuked him that he shoulde holde his peace, but he cried much more, O Sone of Dauid, haue mercie on me. 40 And Iesus stoode stil, and commanded him to be brought vnto him. And when he was come neere, he asked him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I doe vnto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receiue my sight. 42 And Iesus said vnto him, Receiue thy sight: thy faith hath saued thee. 43 Then immediatly he receiued his sight, and followed him, praysing God: and all the people, when they sawe this, gaue praise to God.
The Parable of the Widow and the Judge
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged. 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. 3 And there was a widow in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights, saying, ‘Help me against my opponent!’ 4 For a long time the judge refused to act, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I don't fear God or respect people, 5 yet because of all the trouble this widow is giving me, I will see to it that she gets her rights. If I don't, she will keep on coming and finally wear me out!’”
6 And the Lord continued, “Listen to what that corrupt judge said. 7 Now, will God not judge in favor of his own people who cry to him day and night for help? Will he be slow to help them? 8 I tell you, he will judge in their favor and do it quickly. But will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. 10 “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. 12 I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
(Matthew 19.13-15Mark 10.13-16)15 Some people brought their babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. The disciples saw them and scolded them for doing so, 16 but Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
The Rich Man
(Matthew 19.16-30Mark 10.17-31)18 A Jewish leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; respect your father and your mother.’”
21 The man replied, “Ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you need to do. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich.
24 Jesus saw that he was sad and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
26 The people who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?”
27 Jesus answered, “What is humanly impossible is possible for God.”
28 Then Peter said, “Look! We have left our homes to follow you.”
29 “Yes,” Jesus said to them, “and I assure you that anyone who leaves home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God 30 will receive much more in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time about His Death
(Matthew 20.17-19Mark 10.32-34)31 Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him, insult him, and spit on him. 33 They will whip him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.”
34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things; the meaning of the words was hidden from them, and they did not know what Jesus was talking about.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
(Matthew 20.29-34Mark 10.46-52)35 As Jesus was coming near Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road, begging. 36 When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked, “What is this?”
37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
38 He cried out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
39 The people in front scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40 So Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Sir,” he answered, “I want to see again.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Then see! Your faith has made you well.”
43 At once he was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. When the crowd saw it, they all praised God.