18:1  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).

18:2  He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced {and} feared God nor respected {or} considered man.

18:3  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.

18:4  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,

18:5  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.

18:6  Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says!

18:7  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?

18:8  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?

18:9  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:

18:10  Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

18:11  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.

18:12  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.

18:13  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!

18:14  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.

18:15  Now they were also bringing [even] babies to Him that He might touch them, and when the disciples noticed it, they reproved them.

18:16  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.

18:17  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].

18:18  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]?

18:19  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.

18:20  You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not witness falsely, honor your father and your mother.

18:21  And he replied, All these I have kept from my youth.

18:22  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].

18:23  But when he heard this, he became distressed {and} very sorrowful, for he was rich--exceedingly so.

18:24  Jesus, observing him, said, How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!

18:25  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.

18:26  And those who heard it said, Then who can be saved?

18:27  But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God.

18:28  And Peter said, See, we have left our own [things--home, family, and business] and have followed You.

18:29  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

18:30  Who will not receive in return many times more in this world and, in the coming age, eternal life.

18:31  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.

18:32  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.

18:33  They will flog Him and kill Him; and on the third day He will rise again.

18:34  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.

18:35  As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

18:36  And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant.

18:37  They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

18:38  And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity {and} have mercy on me!

18:39  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!

18:40  Then Jesus stood still and ordered that he be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

18:41  What do you want Me to do for you? He said, Lord, let me receive my sight!

18:42  And Jesus said to him, Receive your sight! Your faith (your trust and confidence that spring from your faith in God) has healed you.

18:43  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.