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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Luke 18 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/luke/18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/luke/18-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > Luke 18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../luke/17.htm" title="Luke 17">◄</a> Luke 18 <a href="../luke/19.htm" title="Luke 19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/luke/18.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">Parable of the Persistent Widow</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="red">“There was a judge in a certain city,”</span> he said, <span class="red">“who neither feared God nor cared about people.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="red">A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span><span class="red">The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span><span class="red">but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then the Lord said, <span class="red">“Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="red">Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span><span class="red">I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”</span></p><p class="hdg">Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span><span class="red">“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span><span class="red">The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a>: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span><span class="red">I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span><span class="red">“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span><span class="red">I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”</span></p><p class="hdg">Jesus Blesses the Children</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, <span class="red">“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span><span class="red">I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”</span></p><p class="hdg">The Rich Man</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span><span class="red">“Why do you call me good?”</span> Jesus asked him. <span class="red">“Only God is truly good.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span><span class="red">But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a>”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>When Jesus heard his answer, he said, <span class="red">“There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>When Jesus saw this,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> he said, <span class="red">“How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span><span class="red">In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>He replied, <span class="red">“What is impossible for people is possible with God.”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="red">“Yes,”</span> Jesus replied, <span class="red">“and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span><span class="red">will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”</span></p><p class="hdg">Jesus Again Predicts His Death</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, <span class="red">“Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span><span class="red">He will be handed over to the Romans,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a> and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon.</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span><span class="red">They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.”</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.</p><p class="hdg">Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>They told him that Jesus the Nazarene<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">f</span></a> was going by. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.</p><p class="reg">But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span><span class="red">“What do you want me to do for you?”</span></p><p class="reg">“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>And Jesus said, <span class="red">“All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.”</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/18-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:8 </span><span class="ft">“Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:11 </span><span class="ft">Some manuscripts read </span><span class="it">stood and prayed this prayer to himself.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:20 </span><span class="ft">Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:24 </span><span class="ft">Some manuscripts read </span><span class="it">When Jesus saw how sad the man was.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:32 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="it">the Gentiles.</span><br><span class="fn">f</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:37 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">Jesus of Nazareth.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. 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