Luke - Chapter 18

Passage

And he also told them a parable, that they ought always to pray and not lose heart, Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who did not fear God nor respect man. And there was a certain widow in that city; and she kept coming to him, saying: Give me justice against my adversary. And for a long time he would not. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I do not fear God nor respect man, Yet because this widow troubles me, I will give her justice, so that she does not wear me out by her continual coming. And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night? And will he be slow to help them? I say to you that he will quickly give them justice. But yet, when the Son of man comes, do you think he shall find faith on earth? And to some who trusted in themselves as just and despised others, he also told this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give you thanks that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes toward heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I say to you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: because everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled: and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. And they also brought infants to him, so that he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus, calling them together, said: Let the children come to me and do not forbid them: for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen, I say to you: Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it. And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life? And Jesus said to him: Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery: You shall not steal: You shall not bear false witness: Honor your father and mother. And he said: All these things I have kept from my youth. When Jesus heard this, he said to him: One thing is still lacking to you. Sell everything you have and give to the poor: and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. When he heard these things, he became sorrowful: for he was very rich. And Jesus, seeing him become sorrowful, said: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And those who heard it said: Who then can be saved? He said to them: The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. Then Peter said: Behold, we have left all things and have followed you. And he said to them: Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has left home or parents or brothers or wife or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, Who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them: Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets about the Son of man. For he shall be handed over to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon. And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death. And on the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things, and this word was hidden from them: and they did not understand the things that were said. Now it happened, as he drew near to Jericho, that a certain blind man was sitting by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the crowd passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. And those who went ahead rebuked him, telling him to be quiet: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus, standing still, commanded him to be brought to him. And when he had come near, he asked him, Saying: What do you want me to do for you? And he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive your sight: your faith has made you whole. And immediately he saw and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.