| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. | 1Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: |
| 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. | 2“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. |
| 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ | 3And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ |
| 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, | 4For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, |
| 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!’” | 5yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’ ” |
| 6Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. | 6And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. |
| 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? | 7Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? |
| 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 | 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?” |
| 9Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: | 9To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: |
| 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. | 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a 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! | 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. |
| 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ | 12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ |
| 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.’ | 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!’ |
| 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 | 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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | 17Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” |
| 18Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” | 18Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” |
| 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. | 19“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. |
| 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.’ ” | 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’ ” |
| 21The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” | 21“All these I have kept from my youth,” he said. |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| 23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. | 23But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy. |
| 24When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! | 24Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich 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!” | 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.” |
| 26Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” | 26Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” |
| 27He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” | 27But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” |
| 28Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.” | 28“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.” |
| 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, | 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 |
| 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 | 30will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| 32 He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. | 32He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. |
| 33 They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.” | 33They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.” |
| 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 | 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. |
| 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. | 35As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging. |
| 36When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. | 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. |
| 37They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. | 37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. |
| 38So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” | 38So he called out, “Jesus, 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!” | 39Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” |
| 40When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, | 40Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him, |
| 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” | 41“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.” |
| 42And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” | 42“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.” |
| 43Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too. | 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people who saw this gave praise to God. |
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