| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. | 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. |
| 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. | 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. |
| 3There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, '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 on he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, | 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 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 see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'" |
| 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! | 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust 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? | 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 give them justice speedily. 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?" |
| 9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. | 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 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 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: '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; I give a tenth of everything I get.' | 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' |
| 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. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, 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 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 him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold 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 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. | 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. |
| 17I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a 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." |
| 18Now 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?" |
| 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 answered. "No one is good--except God alone. |
| 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: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" |
| 21The man replied, "I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth." | 21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. |
| 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 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 man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. | 23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. |
| 24When Jesus noticed this, he 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! |
| 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 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 said, "Then who can be saved?" | 26Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" |
| 27He replied, "What is impossible for mere humans is possible for God." | 27Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." |
| 28And Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we own to follow you!" | 28Peter said to him, "We have left all we had 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"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 |
| 30who will not 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 that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. | 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. |
| 32For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, mistreated, and spat on. | 32He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; |
| 33They will flog him severely and kill him. Yet 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 twelve understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what Jesus meant. | 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 approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. | 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside 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, "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!" |
| 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!" | 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!" |
| 40So Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar to be brought to him. When the man came 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?" He replied, "Lord, let me see again." | 41"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. |
| 42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." | 42Jesus said to him, "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. | 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. |
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