| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. | 1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. |
| 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. | 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. |
| 3There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' | 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ |
| 4For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, | 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about 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.'" | 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” |
| 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! | 6Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. |
| 7Won't God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? | 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? |
| 8I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" | 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector |
| 9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. | 9Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned 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 to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised 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. | 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer : ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! |
| 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.' | 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my 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 dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ |
| 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." | 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Jesus Blesses the Children |
| 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. | 15One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. |
| 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. | 16Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. |
| 17I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." | 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” The Rich Man |
| 18Now a certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" | 18Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should 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. “Only God is truly good. |
| 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" | 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’ ” |
| 21The man replied, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth." | 21The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” |
| 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 his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
| 23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. | 23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. |
| 24When Jesus noticed this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! | 24When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter 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." | 25 In 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!” |
| 26Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?" | 26Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” |
| 27He replied, "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God." | 27He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” |
| 28And Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we own to follow you!" | 28Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow 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 | 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, |
| 30who will not receive many times more in this age--and in the age to come, eternal life." | 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.” Jesus Again Predicts His Death |
| 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. | 31Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. |
| 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, mistreated, and spat on. | 32 He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. |
| 33They will flog him severely and kill him. Yet on the third day he will rise again." | 33 They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will 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. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about. Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar |
| 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. | 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. |
| 36When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was going on. | 36When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. |
| 37They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is passing by." | 37They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. |
| 38So he called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" | 38So he began shouting, “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!" | 39“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted 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, | 40When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man 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?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” |
| 42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." | 42And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” |
| 43And immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they too gave praise to God. | 43Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too. |
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