18:1  Now He told them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

18:2  saying, "In a certain city there lived a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.

18:3  "There lived a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'

18:4  "For a while he showed unwillingness; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

18:5  yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"

18:6  And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

18:7  now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

18:8  "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

18:9  And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they considered themselves righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

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

18:11  "The Pharisee stood and prayed this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I do not behave like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

18:12  'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

18:13  "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, did not even feel willing to lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, have mercy to me, the sinner!'

18:14  "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will become humbled, but he who humbles himself will become exalted."

18:15  And they brought even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.

18:16  But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

18:17  "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God resembles a child will not enter it at all."

18:18  A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

18:19  And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one can claim goodness except God alone.

18:20  "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

18:21  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."

18:22  When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

18:23  But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he had extreme riches.

18:24  And Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard people who have wealth find it to enter the kingdom of God!

18:25  "For a camel would find it easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

18:26  They who heard it said, "Then who can receive salvation?"

18:27  But He said, "The things that people find impossible God finds possible."

18:28  Peter said, "Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You."

18:29  And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, 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 many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life."

18:31  Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we will go up to Jerusalem, and all things which the prophets write about the Son of Man will take place.

18:32  "For His people will hand Him over to the Gentiles, and people will mock and mistreat and spit upon him,

18:33  and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again."

18:34  But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement remained hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that He said.

18:35  As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man sat by the road begging.

18:36  Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this meant.

18:37  They told him that Jesus of Nazareth had passed by.

18:38  And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

18:39  Those who led the way were sternly telling him to keep quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

18:40  And Jesus stopped and commanded that they bring him to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him,

18:41  "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!"

18:42  And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

18:43  Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.