The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Luke

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 18 -

1
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
2
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
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And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
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For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,
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yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’”
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And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge.
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Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
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I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
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“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
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The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed,(a) ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
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I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
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But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
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I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

(Matthew 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16)
15
Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them.
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But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
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Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

The Rich Young Ruler

(Matthew 19:16–30; Mark 10:17–31)
18
Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
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“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
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You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’(b)”
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“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.
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On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
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But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
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Seeing the man’s sadness,(c) Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
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Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
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Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
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But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
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“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had (d) to follow You.”
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“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
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will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Matthew 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34)
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Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
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He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
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They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.”
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But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

(Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52)
35
As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.
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When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
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“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
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So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
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Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
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Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him,
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“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.”
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“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.”
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Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people who saw this gave praise to God.

Footnotes

(a)18:11 Or stood and prayed to himself
(b)18:20 Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20
(c)18:24 Literally Seeing that he had become sorrowful; SBL, NE, and WH Seeing him
(d)18:28 Literally left our own; BYZ and TR left all
1
He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray and not give up,
2
saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect man.
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A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’
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He wouldn’t for a while; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
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yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’”
6
The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.
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Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
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I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9
He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others:
10
“Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
11
The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
13
But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

(Matthew 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16)
15
They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16
Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.
17
Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

The Rich Young Ruler

(Matthew 19:16–30; Mark 10:17–31)
18
A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
19
Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God.
20
You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” (a)
21
He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”
22
When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
23
But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.
24
Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
25
For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
26
Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
27
But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
28
Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
29
He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake,
30
who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”

The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Matthew 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34)
31
He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
32
For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
33
They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”
34
They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

(Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52)
35
As he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.
36
Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.
37
They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38
He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”
39
Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”
40
Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,
41
“What do you want me to do?” He said, “Lord, that I may see again.”
42
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.”
43
Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Footnotes

(a)18:20 ℘ Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20
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