Luke 18 AMPC
1. ALSO [Jesus] 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. He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man.
3. 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. 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. 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. Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says!
7. And will not [our just] 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, 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. He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men:
10. Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11. 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 [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers–or even like this tax collector here.
12. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.
13. But the tax collector, [merely] 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 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. Now they were also bringing [even] babies to Him that He might touch them, and when the disciples noticed it, they reproved them.
16. 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 [as these] belongs the kingdom of God.
17. Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] shall not in any way enter it [at all].
18. And a certain ruler asked Him, Good Teacher [You who are essentially and perfectly morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom]?
19. 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. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not witness falsely, honor your father and your mother. [Exod. 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20.]
21. And he replied, All these I have kept from my youth.
22. And when Jesus heard it, He said to him, One thing you still lack. Sell everything that you have and divide [the money] among the poor, and you will have [rich] treasure in heaven; and come back [and] follow Me [become My disciple, join My party, and accompany Me].
23. But when he heard this, he became distressed and very sorrowful, for he was rich–exceedingly so.
24. Jesus, observing him, said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
25. For it is easier for a camel to enter through a needle's eye than [for] a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
26. And those who heard it said, Then who can be saved?
27. But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God. [Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17.]
28. And Peter said, See, we have left our own [things–home, family, and business] and have followed You.
29. 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. Who will not receive in return many times more in this world and, in the coming age, eternal life.
31. Then taking the Twelve [apostles] 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. [Isa. 53:1-12.]
32. 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. [Isa. 50:6.]
33. They will flog Him and kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again. [Ps. 16:10.]
34. 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. As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36. And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.
37. They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.
38. And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!
39. 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. 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? He said, Lord, let me receive my sight!
42. 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. 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.