1 H e also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,

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, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man.

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

3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’

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 H e wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither 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 defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’”

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 T he Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

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

7 W on’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with 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 avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

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 H e spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

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 was a Pharisee, and the other was 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 prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, 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 give 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 far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a 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 down 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 T hey were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

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

16 J esus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom 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 M ost certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

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 certain ruler asked 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 J esus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God.

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: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your 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 H e said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”

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

22 W hen Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. 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 heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

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

24 J esus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!

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 enter in through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

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 hose 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 which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

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

28 P eter said, “Look, we have left everything, and followed you.”

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

29 H e said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake,

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 more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”

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

31 H e took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

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 delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

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 T hey will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

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

34 T hey understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

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 he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.

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

36 H earing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.

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 H e cried out, “Jesus, you 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 rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You 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 S tanding still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked 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?” He said, “Lord, that I may see again.”

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

42 J esus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.”

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 received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised 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.