1Now He was telling them a parable to show that at alltimes they 1ought to pray and not to 2loseheart,
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saying, "In a certaincitythere was a judge who did not fearGod and did not 3respectman.
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"There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legalprotection from my opponent.'
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"For a while he was unwilling*; but afterward* he said to himself, 'Eventhough I do not fearGodnor4respectman,
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yet5becausethiswidowbothers* me, I will give her legalprotection, otherwise* by continually*coming she will 6wear me out.' "
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And 7the Lordsaid, "Hearwhat the unrighteousjudgesaid;
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now, will not God8bringaboutjustice for His 9elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He 10delaylongover them?
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"I tell you that He will bringaboutjustice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Mancomes, 11will He findfaith on the earth?"
The Pharisee and the Publican
9 And He alsotoldthisparable to somepeople who 12trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and 13viewedothers with contempt:
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"Twomen14went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a taxcollector.
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"The Pharisee15stood and was prayingthis to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not likeotherpeople: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, orevenlikethistaxcollector.
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'I 16fasttwice a week; I 17paytithes of all that I get.'
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"But the taxcollector, 18standingsomedistanceaway, 19was evenunwilling* to lift up his eyes to heaven, but 20was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'
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"I tell you, thismanwent to his housejustifiedratherthan the other; 21for everyone who exaltshimself will be humbled, but he who humbleshimself will be exalted."
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22And they were bringingeven their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciplessaw it, they began rebuking them.
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But Jesuscalled for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Godbelongs to such as these.
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"Truly I say to you, 23whoever* does not receive the kingdom of Godlike a child will not enter it at all."
The Rich Young Ruler
1824A rulerquestioned Him, saying, "GoodTeacher, what shall I do to inheriteternallife?"
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And Jesussaid to him, "Why do you call Me good? Noone is goodexceptGodalone.
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"You know the commandments, '25DO NOT COMMITADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEARFALSEWITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.' "
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And he said, "Allthesethings I have kept from my youth."
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When Jesusheard this, He said to him, "Onething you stilllack; 26sellall that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have27treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
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But when he had heardthesethings, he becameverysad, for he was extremelyrich.