The Widow and the Judge
1He told them a parable about the need to pray always and never lose heart: 2“In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had regard for anyone. 3And in that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ 4For a long time he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or have regard for anyone, 5still, because this widow will not stop bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she does not wear me out with her endless coming.’” 6And the Lord said, “Listen to what that unjust judge says. 7Will God not then give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep them waiting? 8I tell you, he will give them justice, and quickly. Yet when the Son of Man comes, will he find such faith on the earth?”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else he told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, unjust, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I acquire.’ 13But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14I tell you, this man went home justified, and the other did not; for everyone who lifts himself up will be brought low, and whoever brings himself low will be lifted up.”
Children and the Kingdom
15People were bringing him even their babies for him to touch, and when the disciples saw it they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little ones come to me, and do not hold them back, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17Truly I tell you, whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
The Rich Ruler
18A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.” 21“I have kept all these since I was young,” he said. 22When Jesus heard this he said to him, “One thing you still lack: sell everything you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23When the man heard this he was overcome with sadness, for he was very rich. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have money to make their way into the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26Those who heard him said, “Then who can be saved?” 27He said, “What is impossible for people is possible for God.” 28Peter said, “Look, we have left what was ours and followed you.” 29He said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30who will not receive many times as much in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
The Third Announcement of the Passion
31Taking the Twelve aside, he said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will be brought to completion. 32He will be handed over to the Gentiles; he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon, 33and after they have flogged him they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34They understood none of this. The saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was being said.
The Blind Man near Jericho
35As he was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. 36Hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it might be. 37They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing through. 38So he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39Those walking ahead rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, let me see again,” he said. 42And Jesus said to him, “See again; your faith has saved you.” 43At once he could see, and he followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
