Luke 18:1-17

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged:

2 "There was a judge in one town who didn't fear God or respect man.

3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'

4 "For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or respect man,

5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, ^[a] I will give her justice, so she doesn't wear me out ^[b] by her persistent coming.' "

6 Then the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.

7 Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [to help] them? ^[c]

8 I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith ^[d] on earth?"

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

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

11 The Pharisee took his stand ^[e] and was praying like this: 'God, I thank You that I'm not like other people ^[f] -greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth ^[g] of everything I get.'

13 "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest ^[h] and saying, 'God, turn Your wrath from me ^[i] -a sinner!'

14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Blessing the Children

15 Some people were even bringing infants to Him so He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

16 Jesus, however, invited them: "Let the little children come to Me, and don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

17 I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit widow causes me trouble
• [b]. Or doesn't give me a black eye, or doesn't ruin my reputation
• [c]. Or Will He put up with them?
• [d]. Or faith, or that kind of faith, or any faith, or the faith, or faithfulness; the faith that persists in prayer for God's vindication
• [e]. Or Pharisee stood by himself
• [f]. Or like the rest of men
• [g]. Or give tithes
• [h]. Mourning
• [i]. Lit God, be propitious; May Your wrath be turned aside by the sacrifice