Luke 18:1-18

1ThenG1161 Jesus toldG2036 themG846 a parableG3850 aboutG4314 theirG846 needG1163 to prayG4336 at all timesG3842 andG2532 notG3361 lose heartG1573: 2“InG1722 a certainG5100 townG4172 there wasG1510 aG5100 judgeG2923 who neitherG3361 fearedG5399 GodG2316 nor respectedG1788 menG444. 3AndG1161 there wasG1510 a widowG5503 inG1722 thatG1565 townG4172 who kept appealingG2064G3004 toG4314 himG846, ‘Give me justiceG1556G1473 against myG1473 adversaryG476.’

4

ForG1909 a whileG5550 he refusedG3756G2309, butG1161 laterG3326 heG3778 saidG2036 toG1722 himselfG1438, ‘ThoughG1487G2532 I neitherG3756 fearG5399 GodG2316 norG3761 respectG1788 menG444, 5yetG1065 becauseG1223 thisG3778 widowG5503 keeps pestering meG3930G1473G2873, I will give her justiceG1556G846. OtherwiseG2443G3361, she will wear me outG5299G1473 with her perpetual requestsG1519G5056G2064.’”

6AndG1161 theG3588 LordG2962 saidG2036, “Listen toG191 the wordsG3004 of theG3588 unjustG93 judgeG2923. 7Will notG3756G3361 GodG2316 bring aboutG4160 justice forG1557 HisG846 electG1588 whoG3588 cry outG994 to HimG846 dayG2250 andG2532 nightG3571? Will He delay in helpingG3114G1909 themG846? 8I tellG3004 youG4771, He will promptly carry outG4160G1722G5034 justiceG1557 on their behalfG846. NeverthelessG4133, when theG3588 SonG5207 of ManG444 comesG2064, will He findG2147 faithG4102 onG1909 earthG1093?”

9

ToG4314 someG5100 whoG3588 trustedG3982 inG1909 their ownG1438G3754G1510 righteousnessG1342 andG2532 viewedG1848 others with contemptG3062, He also toldG2532G2036 thisG3778 parableG3850: 10“TwoG1417 menG444 went upG305 toG1519 theG3588 templeG2411 to prayG4336. OneG1520 was a PhariseeG5330 andG2532 theG3588 otherG2087 a tax collectorG5057. 11TheG3588 PhariseeG5330 stoodG2476 byG4314 himselfG1438 and prayedG4336,1 ‘GodG2316, I thankG2168 YouG4771 thatG3754 I amG1510 notG3756 likeG5618 otherG3062 menG444—swindlersG727, evildoersG94, adulterersG3432—orG2228 evenG2532 likeG5613 thisG3778 tax collectorG5057. 12I fastG3522 twiceG1364 aG3588 weekG4521 and pay tithesG586 of all thatG3956G3745 I acquireG2932.’

13ButG1161 theG3588 tax collectorG5057 stoodG2476 at a distanceG3113, unwilling evenG3756G2309G3761 to lift upG1869 his eyesG3788 toG1519 heavenG3772. InsteadG235, he beatG5180 hisG846 breastG4738 and saidG3004, ‘GodG2316, have mercyG2433 on meG1473, aG3588 sinnerG268!’ 14I tellG3004 youG4771, thisG3778 man, rather thanG3844 the Pharisee, went homeG2597G1519G846G3588G3624 justifiedG1344. ForG3754 everyoneG3956 whoG3588 exaltsG5312 himselfG1438 will be humbledG5013, butG1161 theG3588 one who humblesG5013 himselfG1438 will be exaltedG5312.”

15NowG1161 people were even bringingG4374G2532 their babiesG1025 toG846 Jesus forG2443 Him to place His handsG680 on themG846. And whenG1161 theG3588 disciplesG3101 sawG3708 this, they rebukedG2008 those who brought them.

16ButG1161 JesusG2424 called the children toG4341G846 Him and saidG3004, “LetG863 theG3588 little childrenG3813 comeG2064 toG4314 MeG1473, andG2532 do notG3361 hinderG2967 themG846! ForG1063 theG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316 belongsG1510 toG3588 such as theseG5108. 17TrulyG281 I tellG3004 youG4771, anyone whoG3739 does not receiveG3361G1209 theG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316 likeG5613 a little childG3813 will never enterG3756G3361G1525G1519 itG846.”

18ThenG2532 a certainG5100 rulerG758 askedG1905 HimG846, “GoodG18 TeacherG1320, whatG5101 must I doG4160 to inheritG2816 eternalG166 lifeG2222?”