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Luke 18

1He told them a parable about their need to pray always and not lose heart. 2He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who did not fear God or respect people. 3There was a widow in that town who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ 4For a time he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or respect people, 5because this widow keeps troubling me, I will give her justice, so that she does not wear me out with her continual coming.’” 6The Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7Will not God give justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Yet when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated everyone else with contempt: 10“Two people went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed these things: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—robbers, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I acquire.’ 13But the tax collector stood far away and would not even lift his eyes to heaven. Instead, he kept beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner.’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his house declared righteous, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

15People were bringing even infants to him so that he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called the children to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will certainly not enter it.”

18A ruler questioned him, saying, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not give false testimony; honor your father and mother.’” 21He said, “I have kept all these from my youth.” 22Hearing this, Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23When he heard these things, he became deeply sad, for he was very rich. 24Seeing him, Jesus said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26Those who heard said, “Then who can be saved?” 27He said, “What is impossible with people is possible with God.”

28Peter said, “Look, we have left what was ours and followed you.” 29He said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children because of the kingdom of God 30who will not receive many times as much in this time, and in the coming age eternal life.”

31Taking the Twelve aside, he said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32For he will be handed over to the nations, mocked, mistreated, and spat on. 33After flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what was said.

35As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. 36Hearing a crowd passing by, he asked what this was. 37They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.” 38He cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39Those in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me see again.” 42Jesus said to him, “See again. Your faith has saved you.” 43Immediately he saw again and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.

Translation notes 6

18:1–8 — Justice and delay. The judge and God are contrasted; God is not described as indifferent to justice. “Wear me out” interprets a verb whose physical sense is striking under the eye, giving a black eye. Taking it literally or as damaging the judge's reputation is also possible. The delay clause in verse 7 can instead concern patience or forbearance; the reading retains the question without supplying a timetable. “Speedily” may concern prompt action when vindication comes, while the need for enduring prayer remains.

18:11–14 — Prayer and righteousness. “By himself” can also be attached to the prayer: “prayed these things to himself.” “The sinner” retains the article in the tax collector's self-description without asserting he is the only sinner present. His plea asks for God's mercy; its verb can carry associations of atonement. “Declared righteous” expresses the favorable judgment, contrasted with self-confidence in verse 9. The exalt/humble saying repeats 14:11.

18:15–17 — Children. Luke explicitly includes infants. Receiving the kingdom “like a child” is not expanded into a list of supposedly universal childhood virtues.

18:18–30 — Riches and impossibility. Luke identifies a ruler, without calling him young. The commandments retain Luke's order. The camel and needle express an impossibility; the reading does not invent a gate named the Needle's Eye. Luke explicitly includes wife in the list of what may be left, and “many times as much” rather than an imported hundredfold formula.

18:31–34 — Prediction and concealment. “Nations” here refers to non-Jewish people, often rendered “Gentiles.” The specific acts remain, and the agent who hid the saying from the disciples is not named. Luke does not insert a response from Peter here.

18:35–43 — Jericho and sight. The healing occurs as Jesus approaches Jericho. Other accounts differ in location details and number of blind people; this one is not rewritten to reconcile them. The man is not named. “See again” is the ordinary sense of the verb but need not settle whether he had sight earlier in life. “Your faith has saved you” preserves the recurring formula in its healing setting.