| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. | 1Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up. |
| 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. | 2He said, "In a city there was a judge who didn't fear God or respect people. |
| 3There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' | 3In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' |
| 4For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, | 4For a while the judge refused. But later, he told himself, 'I don't fear God or respect people, |
| 5yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.'" | 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice. Otherwise, she will keep coming and wear me out.'" |
| 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! | 6Then the Lord added, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. |
| 7Won't God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? | 7Won't God grant his chosen people justice when they cry out to him day and night? Is he slow to help them? |
| 8I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" | 8I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" |
| 9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. | 9Jesus also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves, thinking they were righteous, but who looked down on everyone else: |
| 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. | 10"Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. |
| 11The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. | 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, 'O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people—thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector. |
| 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.' | 12I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.' |
| 13The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!' | 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, 'O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!' |
| 14I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." | 14I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted." |
| 15Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. | 15Now some people were even bringing their infants to Jesus to have him touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they sternly told the people not to do that. |
| 16But Jesus called for the children, saying, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. | 16Jesus, however, called for the children and said, "Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these. |
| 17I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." | 17I tell all of you with certainty, whoever doesn't receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never get into it at all." |
| 18Now a certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" | 18Then an official asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" |
| 19Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. | 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Nobody is good except for one—God. |
| 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" | 20You know the commandments: 'Never commit adultery. Never murder. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.'" |
| 21The man replied, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth." | 21The official replied, "I have kept all of these since I was a young man." |
| 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." | 22When Jesus heard this, he told him, "You still need to do one thing. Sell everything you have and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me." |
| 23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. | 23But when the official heard this he became sad, because he was very rich. |
| 24When Jesus noticed this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! | 24So when Jesus saw how sad he was, he said, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the kingdom of God! |
| 25In 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." | 25Indeed, it's easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God." |
| 26Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?" | 26Those who were listening to Jesus asked, "Then who can be saved?" |
| 27He replied, "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God." | 27Jesus replied, "The things that are impossible for people are possible for God." |
| 28And Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we own to follow you!" | 28Then Peter said, "See, we have left everything we have and followed you." |
| 29Then Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of God's kingdom | 29Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of the kingdom of God |
| 30who will not receive many times more in this age--and in the age to come, eternal life." | 30who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come." |
| 31Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. | 31Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "Pay attention! We're going up to Jerusalem. Everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled, |
| 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, mistreated, and spat on. | 32because he'll be handed over to the unbelievers, and will be mocked, insulted, and spit on. |
| 33They will flog him severely and kill him. Yet on the third day he will rise again." | 33After they have whipped him, they'll kill him, but on the third day he'll rise again." |
| 34But the twelve understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what Jesus meant. | 34But they didn't understand any of this. What he said was hidden from them, and they didn't know what he meant. |
| 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. | 35As Jesus was approaching Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road begging. |
| 36When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was going on. | 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. |
| 37They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is passing by." | 37They told him that Jesus from Nazareth was coming by. |
| 38So he called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" | 38So he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" |
| 39And those who were in front scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted even more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" | 39The people at the front of the crowd sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" |
| 40So Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him, | 40Then Jesus 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?" He replied, "Lord, let me see again." | 41"What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, I want to see again!" |
| 42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." | 42So Jesus told him, "See again! Your faith has made you well." |
| 43And immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they too gave praise to God. | 43Immediately the man could see again and began to follow Jesus, glorifying God. All the people saw this and gave praise to God. |
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