Luke 18
18
The Story of the Widow Who Would Not Give Up
1Then Jesus told his disciples a story to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who didn’t have any respect for God and who didn’t care what people thought. 3A widow lived in that town and she came to the judge again and again, begging him, ‘Defend me against the person who’s doing me wrong!’
4“For some time the judge refused, but he finally said to himself, ‘Though I don’t have any respect for God and I don’t care what people think, 5because this widow keeps bothering me, I’m going to see that things are made right for her. If I don’t, someday she’ll pester me to death!’ ”
6The Lord said, “Listen to what the unfair judge says. 7And won’t God make things right for his chosen people, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them, and he’ll make sure that it happens quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?”
The Story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God and looked down on everyone else. 10He said to them, “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—not like robbers, or people who do other evil things, or those who commit adultery, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and I give a tenth of everything I get.’
13“But the tax collector stood off by himself and wouldn’t even look up to heaven. He struck his chest in remorse and prayed, ‘God, have mercy on me. I’m a sinner.’
14“I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God, but the Pharisee didn’t. All those who lift themselves up will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be lifted up.”
Little Children Are Brought to Jesus
15People were also bringing babies to Jesus because they wanted him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop. 16But Jesus called the children over. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “and don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. 17Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”
Rich People and the Kingdom of God
18A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God alone. 20You know what the commandments say: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not commit murder, do not steal, do not be a false witness, honor your father and mother.’ ”
21“I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy,” the ruler said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
23When the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he had a lot of money. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for someone who’s rich to enter God’s kingdom.”
26Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”
27Jesus answered, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
28Peter said to him, “We’ve left everything we had in order to follow you!”
29“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “if anyone has left their home or wife or husband or brothers or sisters or parents or children for God’s kingdom, 30they will receive many times as much in this world, and in the world to come they will receive eternal life.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death
31Jesus took the 12 disciples aside and told them, “We’re going up to Jerusalem and everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man is going to come true. 32He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, laugh at him, and spit on him. 33They will whip him and kill him, but on the third day, he will rise from the dead!”
34The disciples didn’t understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, so they didn’t know what Jesus was talking about.
A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight
35As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a man who was blind was sitting by the side of the road begging. 36The man heard the crowd going by and asked what was happening. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38So he called out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
39Those leading the crowd spoke harshly to him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40Jesus stopped and told the people to bring the man over to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?”
The man who was blind replied, “Lord, I want to be able to see.”
42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you!” 43Right away he became able to see and he followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw this, they also praised God.
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Luke 18: RAD
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Luke 18
18
1 #
Lk 11.5-8. And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; 3and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ 4For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ” 6#Lk 7.13. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7#Rev 6.10; Mt 24.22; Rom 8.33; Col 3.12; 2 Tim 2.10. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11#Mt 6.5; Mk 11.25. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12#Lk 5.33; 11.42. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14#Mt 18.4; 23.12; Lk 14.11; 1 Pet 5.6. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 #
Mt 19.13-15; 18.3; Mk 10.13-16. Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
18 #
Mt 19.16-22; Mk 10.17-22. #Lk 10.25. And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20#Ex 20.12-16; Deut 5.16-20; Rom 13.9; Jas 2.11. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22#Lk 12.33; Acts 2.45; 4.32. And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24#Mt 19.23-26; Mk 10.23-27. Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25For 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.” 26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27#Gen 18.14; Job 42.2; Jer 32.17; Lk 1.37. But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28#Mt 19.27-30; Mk 10.28-31; Lk 5.1-11. And Peter said, “Lo, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
31 #
Mt 20.17-19; Mk 10.32-34; Lk 9.22,44-45; 17.25. And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; 33they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
35 #
Mt 20.29-34; Mk 10.46-52; Mt 9.27-31; Mk 8.22; Jn 9.1-7. As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; 36and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38And he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me receive my sight.” 42#Mt 9.22; Mk 5.34; 10.52; Lk 7.50; 8.48; 17.19. And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America