1 N ow He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

Also told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).

2 s aying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.

He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man.

3 T here was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘ Give me legal protection from my opponent.’

And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary.

4 F or a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man,

5 y et because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”

Yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault me or strangle me.

6 A nd the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says!

7 n ow, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

And will not God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf?

8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” The Pharisee and the Publican

I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find '> persistence in] faith on the earth?

9 A nd He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men:

10 “ Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Two men went up into the temple '> enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 T he Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—extortioners (robbers), swindlers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector here.

12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.

13 B ut the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!

14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

15 A nd they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.

Now they were also bringing babies to Him that He might touch them, and when the disciples noticed it, they reproved them.

16 B ut Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

But Jesus called them '> the parents] to Him, saying, Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

17 T ruly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” The Rich Young Ruler

Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child shall not in any way enter it.

18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

And a certain ruler asked Him, Good Teacher '> essentially and perfectly morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?

19 A nd Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me '> essentially and perfectly morally] good? No one is '> essentially and perfectly morally] good—except God only.

20 Y ou know the commandments, ‘ Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’”

You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not witness falsely, honor your father and your mother.

21 A nd he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

And he replied, All these I have kept from my youth.

22 W hen Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

And when Jesus heard it, He said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell everything that you have and divide among the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come back follow Me.

23 B ut when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

But when he heard this, he became distressed and very sorrowful, for he was rich—exceedingly so.

24 A nd Jesus looked at him and said, “ How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!

Jesus, observing him, said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

25 F or 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.”

For it is easier for a camel to enter through a needle’s eye than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

26 T hey who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

And those who heard it said, Then who can be saved?

27 B ut He said, “ The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God.

28 P eter said, “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.”

And Peter said, See, we have left our own and have followed You.

29 A nd He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

And He said to them, I say to you truly, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God

30 w ho will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Who will not receive in return many times more in this world and, in the coming age, eternal life.

31 T hen He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.

Then taking the Twelve aside, He said to them, Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written about the Son of Man through and by the prophets will be fulfilled.

32 F or He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon,

For He will be handed over to the Gentiles and will be made sport of and scoffed and jeered at and insulted and spit upon.

33 a nd after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.”

They will flog Him and kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again.

34 B ut the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said. Bartimaeus Receives Sight

But they understood nothing of these things; His words were a mystery and hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was telling them.

35 A s Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.

As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

36 N ow hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was.

And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.

37 T hey told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

38 A nd he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!

39 T hose who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “ Son of David, have mercy on me!”

But those who were in front reproved him, telling him to keep quiet; yet he screamed and shrieked so much the more, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!

40 A nd Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him,

Then Jesus stood still and ordered that he be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

41 “ What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”

What do you want Me to do for you? He said, Lord, let me receive my sight!

42 A nd Jesus said to him, “ Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”

And Jesus said to him, Receive your sight! Your faith ( your trust and confidence that spring from your faith in God) has healed you.

43 I mmediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

And instantly he received his sight and began to follow Jesus, recognizing, praising, and honoring God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.