Luke 18

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said,	1 Then he told them a parable about the need to pray continual y and never lose heart.
2 "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.	2 'There was a judge in a certain town,' he said, 'who had neither fear of God nor respect for anyone.
3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'	3 In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, "I want justice fromyou against my enemy!"
4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,	4 For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, "Even though I have neither fear of God norrespect for any human person,
5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'"	5 I must give this widow her just rights since she keeps pestering me, or she wil come and slap me in the face." '
6 The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.	6 And the Lord said, 'You notice what the unjust judge has to say?
7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?	7 Now, will not God see justice done to his elect if they keep cal ing to him day and night even though hestill delays to help them?
8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"	8 I promise you, he wil see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of man comes,wil he find any faith on earth?'
9 He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.	9 He spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being upright and despisedeveryone else,
10 "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.	10 'Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax col ector.
11 The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity--greedy, dishonest, adulterous--or even like this tax collector.	11 The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, "I thank you, God, that I am not grasping,unjust, adulterous like everyone else, and particularly that I am not like this tax col ector here.
12 I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'	12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on al I get."
13 But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'	13 The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beathis breast and said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
14 I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."	14 This man, I tell you, went home again justified; the other did not. For everyone who raises himself upwil be humbled, but anyone who humbles himself wil be raised up.'
15 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.	15 People even brought babies to him, for him to touch them; but when the disciples saw this theyscolded them.
16 Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, "Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.	16 But Jesus cal ed the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not stopthem; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.
17 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."	17 In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enterit.'
18 An official asked him this question, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"	18 One of the rulers put this question to him, 'Good Master, what shal I do to inherit eternal life?'
19 Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.	19 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you cal me good? No one is good but God alone.
20 You know the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.'"	20 You know the commandments: You shal not commit adultery; You shal not kil ; You shall not steal;You shal not give false witness; Honour your father and your mother.'
21 And he replied, "All of these I have observed from my youth."	21 He replied, 'I have kept all these since my earliest days.'
22 When Jesus heard this he said to him, "There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."	22 And when Jesus heard this he said, 'There is stil one thing you lack. Sell everything you own anddistribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
23 But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich.	23 But when he heard this he was overcome with sadness, for he was very rich.
24 Jesus looked at him (now sad) and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!	24 Jesus looked at him and said, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to make their way into thekingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."	25 Yes, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter thekingdom of God.'
26 Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"	26 Those who were listening said, 'In that case, who can be saved?'
27 And he said, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God."	27 He replied, 'Things that are impossible by human resources, are possible for God.'
28 Then Peter said, "We have given up our possessions and followed you."	28 But Peter said, 'Look, we left al we had to follow you.'
29 He said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God	29 He said to them, 'In truth I tel you, there is no one who has left house, wife, brothers, parents orchildren for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 who will not receive (back) an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come."	30 who will not receive many times as much in this present age and, in the world to come, eternal life.'
31 Then he took the Twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.	31 Then taking the Twelve aside he said to them, 'Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everythingthat is written by the prophets about the Son of man is to come true.
32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon;	32 For he wil be handed over to the gentiles and wil be mocked, maltreated and spat on,
33 and after they have scourged him they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise."	33 and when they have scourged him they will put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again.'
34 But they understood nothing of this; the word remained hidden from them and they failed to comprehend what he said.	34 But they could make nothing of this; what he said was quite obscure to them, they did not understandwhat he was tel ing them.
35 Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,	35 Now it happened that as he drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the roadbegging.
36 and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.	36 When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about,
37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."	37 and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by.
38 He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"	38 So he called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.'
39 The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!"	39 The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted al the louder, 'Son ofDavid, have pity on me.'
40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,	40 Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him,
41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see."	41 'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Sir,' he replied, 'let me see again.'
42 Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."	42 Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.'
43 He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.	43 And instantly his sight returned and he fol owed him praising God, and al the people who saw it gavepraise to God.