| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: | 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. |
| 2“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. | 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. |
| 3And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ | 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' |
| 4For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, | 4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, |
| 5yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’ ” | 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'" |
| 6And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. | 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. |
| 7Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? | 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? |
| 8I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” | 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" |
| 9To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: | 9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: |
| 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. | 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. |
| 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. | 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. |
| 12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ | 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' |
| 13But 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!’ | 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' |
| 14I 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.” | 14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." |
| 15Now 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. | 15People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. |
| 16But 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. | 16But 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. |
| 17Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” | 17Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." |
| 18Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” | 18A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" |
| 19“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. | 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. |
| 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’ ” | 20You know the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" |
| 21“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said. | 21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. |
| 22On 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.” | 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." |
| 23But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy. | 23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. |
| 24Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! | 24Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! |
| 25Indeed, 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.” | 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." |
| 26Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” | 26Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" |
| 27But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” | 27Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." |
| 28“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.” | 28Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" |
| 29“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 | 29"Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God |
| 30will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.” | 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life." |
| 31Then 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. | 31Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. |
| 32He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. | 32He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; |
| 33They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.” | 33they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." |
| 34But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying. | 34The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. |
| 35As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. | 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. |
| 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. | 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. |
| 37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. | 37They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." |
| 38So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” | 38He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" |
| 39Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” | 39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" |
| 40Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him, | 40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, |
| 41“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.” | 41"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. |
| 42“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.” | 42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." |
| 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people who saw this gave praise to God. | 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. |
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