18:1 Then Jesus used this ·story [parable] to ·teach his followers [show the necessity] that they should always pray and never ·lose hope [become discouraged].
18:2 “In a certain town there was a judge who did not ·respect [fear] God or ·care about people [or care what people thought].
18:3 In that same town there was a widow [C among the most vulnerable members of society] who kept coming to this judge, saying, ‘Give me ·my rights [justice] against my ·enemy [opponent; adversary].’
18:4 For a while the judge refused to help her. But afterwards, he thought to himself, ‘Even though I don’t ·respect [fear] God or ·care about people [or care what people think],
18:5 yet because she ·keeps bothering me [is causing me such trouble], I will see that she gets ·her rights [justice]. Otherwise she will ·keep coming until she wears me out [or eventually come and punch me/blacken my eye].’”
18:6 The Lord said, “Listen to what the ·unfair [unjust; unrighteous] judge said.
18:7 God will always [L Will not God…?] ·give what is right [provide justice] to his ·people [L chosen people; elect] who cry to him day and night, and ·he will not [L will he…?] ·be slow to answer them [or keep putting them off].
18:8 I tell you, God will ·help [provide justice to] his people ·quickly [or suddenly]. ·But [However; Yet] when the Son of Man comes again, will he find ·those on earth who believe in him [L faith on the earth; C God’s faithfulness is certain; the only question is whether people will remain faithful to him]?”
18:9 Jesus told this ·story [parable] to some people who ·thought they were very good [were confident of their own righteousness] and ·looked down on [scorned; despised] everyone else:
18:10 “Two men went up to the Temple [courts] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector [C despised by their fellow Jews because they worked for the hated Romans and were notorious for extortion].
18:11 The Pharisee ·stood alone and prayed [or stood and prayed about himself], ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—thieves, ·cheaters [evildoers; unrighteous people], adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
18:12 I fast twice a week [C Pharisees commonly fasted on Monday and Thursday], and I ·give one-tenth of [pay tithes on] everything I get!’
18:13 “[L But] The tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even ·look up [L raise his eyes] to heaven. But he beat on his chest [C a sign of sorrow and remorse] and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
18:14 I tell you, when this man went home, he was ·right with God [justified], ·but the Pharisee was not [L rather than that (other) man]. [L Because] All who ·make themselves great [exalt themselves] will be made humble, but all who make themselves humble will be ·made great [exalted].”
18:15 Some people brought even their babies to Jesus so he could touch them. When the ·followers [disciples] saw this, they ·told them to stop [scolded/rebuked them].
18:16 But Jesus called for the children, saying, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t ·stop [hinder; forbid] them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children [C meaning humble and dependent].
18:17 I tell you the truth, you must ·accept [receive] the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it.”
18:18 A certain ·leader [ruler] asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to ·have life forever [L inherit eternal life]?”
18:19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? ·Only God is good [L No one is good except one—God; C Jesus is not denying his own divinity, but is challenging the man’s understanding of goodness].
18:20 You know the commands: ‘You must not ·be guilty of [commit] adultery. You must not murder anyone. You must not steal. You must not ·tell lies [testify falsely] about your neighbor. Honor your father and mother [Ex. 20:12–16; Deut. 5:16–20].’”
18:21 But the leader said, “I have ·obeyed [kept carefully; guarded] all these commands since ·I was a boy [my youth].”
18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you ·need to do [lack]. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
18:23 But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was ·very [extremely] rich.
18:24 ·Jesus looked at him and [or When Jesus saw this reaction, he] said, “·It is very hard [L How hard it is…!] for ·rich people [L those who have wealth] to enter the kingdom of God.
18:25 [L For; Indeed] 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 [C meaning it is impossible, by human effort; see v. 27].”
18:26 When the people heard this, they asked, “Then who can be saved?”
18:27 Jesus answered, “The things impossible ·for people [humanly speaking] are possible for God.”
18:28 Peter said, “Look, we have left ·everything [or our possessions; or our home] and followed you.”
18:29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, all those who have left houses, wives, brothers [or siblings], parents, or children ·for [for the sake of] the kingdom of God
18:30 will get much more in this ·life [age; L time]. And in the ·age [aeon; world] that is coming, they will have ·life forever [eternal life].”
18:31 Then Jesus took ·the twelve apostles [L the Twelve] aside and said to them, “[L Look; T Behold] We are going [L up] to Jerusalem. Everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will ·happen [be fulfilled/completed/accomplished].
18:32 He will be turned over to the Gentiles [C the Roman authorities]. They will ·laugh at [mock] him, insult him, spit on him,
18:33 ·beat him with whips [flog him; T scourge him], and kill him. But on the third day, he will rise to life again.”
18:34 ·The apostles [L They] did not understand this; the meaning was hidden from them, and they did not ·realize [comprehend] what was said.
18:35 As Jesus came near the city of Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.
18:36 When he heard the people ·coming down the road [passing by], he asked, “What is happening?”
18:37 They told him, “Jesus, ·from Nazareth [or the Nazarene], is going by.”
18:38 The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David [C a title for the Messiah, a descendant of King David; 2 Sam. 7:11–16], ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
18:39 The people leading the group ·warned [rebuked; scolded] the blind man to be quiet. But the blind man shouted even more, “Son of David, ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
18:40 Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,
18:41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, I want to see.”
18:42 Jesus said to him, “Then see. ·You are healed because you believed [Your faith has healed/saved you].”
18:43 At once the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people who saw this praised God.
Your support helps pay our hosting costs, and
- with a little bit extra -
lets us pay transcribers and proofreaders.
If you can help, Click here to become a Patreon:
www.patreon.com/IslamAwakened Thank you!