Luke 18

1 Then [at that time, next] Jesus told [spoke, shared] them a parable [a story with a moral lesson, a comparison] about their need [necessity, obligation] to pray [to worship, to ask] at all times [always, continually] and not [lest, never] lose heart [become discouraged, faint]: word study 2 “In a certain [particular, specific] town [city] there was a judge [one who makes decisions] who neither [not at all] feared [reverenced, had awe of] God [the one true deity] nor [and not] respected [regarded with honor, had regard for] men [human beings]. word study 3 And there was a widow [a woman who has lost her husband, bereaved] in that town [city, community] who kept appealing [coming often, persistently] to him, ‘Give me justice [vindication, my right] against my adversary [opponent, one who resists me].’ word study 4 For a while [a period of time, a season] he refused [would not, was unwilling], but later [afterward, afterwards] he said to himself [in his own mind, within himself], ‘Though I neither [not at all, in no way] fear [reverence, have awe of] God [the one true deity, Almighty] nor [and not] respect [regard, care about] men [human beings, people], word study 5 yet because [due to the fact that, on account of] this widow [a woman who has lost her husband] keeps pestering [troubling, wearing me out] me, I will give her justice [avenge her, defend her rights]. Then she will stop [cease, no longer] wearing me out [teasing me into giving in] with her perpetual [continual, frequent] requests [coming to see me].’” word study 6 And the Lord [God, the supreme authority] said, “Listen [hear and obey, give attention to] to the words [sayings, teachings] of the unjust [unrighteous, wicked] judge [one who makes decisions, ruler]. word study 7 Will not God [the supreme Judge, Almighty] bring about justice [vengeance, righteous judgment] for His elect [chosen ones, select] who cry out [shout for help, fervently pray] to Him day [a 24-hour period, a time of opportunity] and night [a time of darkness, a period of waiting]? Will He continue to defer [delay, patiently wait] their help [assistance, deliverance]? word study 8 I tell you, He will promptly [speedily, quickly, without delay] carry out justice [avenge, vindicate, execute the law] on their behalf [for their sake, in their favor]. Nevertheless [but, however], when the Son [a child or descendant] of Man [a human being] comes [arrives, appears], will He find [discover, meet with] faith [trust and confidence in God] on [upon, throughout] earth [the soil, land, or world]?” word study 9 To some [certain people, those who were convinced] who trusted [had confidence, were persuaded] in their own [self, inherent] righteousness [justness, being fair and innocent] and viewed [despised, set at nought] others with contempt [low opinion, despising], He also told [spoke, shared] this parable [story, moral lesson]: word study 10 “Two [a pair] men [human beings] went up [to ascend] to the [to, this specific] temple [ieron, a sacred place] to pray [to worship God]. One [a single individual] was a Pharisee [a strict Jewish sect member] and the [o, this particular] other [a different person] a tax collector [one who gathers public revenue]. word study 11 The Pharisee [a member of a strict Jewish sect] stood by himself and prayed, ‘God [the one true deity, Elohim], I thank You [expressing gratitude] that I am not like the other men [the remaining ones]—swindlers [rapacious], evildoers [unjust], adulterers [those who cheat on their spouses]—or even like this tax collector [a gatherer of public revenue]. word study 12 I [regularly, as a habit] fast [abstain from food] twice [on two occasions] a week [every seven days] and pay [give, contribute] tithes [a tenth] of all [everything] that I acquire [possess, gain].’ word study 13 But the tax collector [publican, one who gathers revenue] stood at a distance [afar off, at a remote location], unwilling even to lift up his eyes [gaze, look] to heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place]. Instead, he beat his breast [chest, a sign of sorrow] and said, ‘God [the one true deity], have mercy [be merciful, show compassion] on me, a sinner [one who has missed the mark, a wrongdoer]!’ word study 14 I tell you, this man [the tax collector], rather than the Pharisee, went home [to his house, justified in God’s sight] justified [declared righteous, made right with God]. For everyone who exalts [lifts up, elevates] himself [his own pride and self-importance] will be humbled [brought low, made humble], but the one who humbles [lowers, makes himself nothing] himself [his own pride and self-will] will be exalted [lifted up, elevated by God].” word study 15 Now people were even bringing [leading to, offering] their babies [infants, young children] to Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] for Him to place [lay, put] His hands on them [to bless, to touch]. And when the disciples [learners, followers] saw [perceived, understood] this, they rebuked [warned, scolded] those who brought [were bringing, presented] them. word study 16 But Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] called the children [young ones, babes] to Him and said, “Let the little children [those who are humble and trusting] come to Me, and do not [lest you] hinder [prevent, forbid] them! For the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] belongs to such as these [those who are like them, having a childlike faith]. word study 17 Truly [verily, with utmost certainty] I tell you, anyone who does not receive [welcome, accept] the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the one true deity] like [as, in the manner of] a little child [a babe, a young one] will never [in no way, under no circumstances] enter [come into, participate in] it [the kingdom, God’s royal power].” word study 18 Then a certain [specific, particular] ruler [leader, magistrate] asked Him, “Good [beneficial, virtuous] Teacher [instructor, guide], what must I do [accomplish, fulfill] to inherit [receive as a gift, obtain] eternal [lasting forever, age-during] life [physical and spiritual existence]?” word study 19 “Why do you call Me [having God’s nature] good?” Jesus replied. “No one [none, nobody] is good [morally upright, righteous] except God [the one true deity, Almighty] alone [the only One, unique]. word study 20 You know [are aware of, perceive] the commandments [divine instructions, God’s laws]: ‘Do not [refrain from, avoid] commit adultery [be unfaithful, have an affair], do not [refrain from, avoid] murder [take a life, kill], do not [refrain from, avoid] steal [take without permission, plunder], do not [refrain from, avoid] bear false witness [lie, give false testimony], honor [show respect, value] your father [male parent, ancestor] and mother [female parent, caregiver].’ ” word study 21 “All [every, everything] these [things, commandments] I have kept [observed, guarded, obeyed] from [out of, since] my [young] youth [the time of being young],” he said [spoke, declared]. word study 22 On hearing [with understanding and obedience] this, Jesus told him, “You still [continue to] lack one thing: Sell [dispose of, get rid of] everything you own [all your possessions, wealth] and give [distribute, impart] to the poor [those in need, destitute], and you will have treasure [riches, wealth] in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place]. Then come [accompany], follow [be a disciple, obey] Me.” word study 23 But when the ruler heard [hearing and understanding, having heard this] this, he became [exceedingly, very] very sad [sorrowful, deeply grieved], because he was extremely [extremely, very] wealthy [rich, having an abundance of possessions]. word study 24 Seeing the man’s [deep] sadness [sorrowful, grieved], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said, “How [in what way, with what difficulty] hard [difficultly, with great challenge] it is for the rich [those who have wealth] to enter [to go into, to become part of] the kingdom [the royal power and dominion] of God [the one true deity]! word study 25 Indeed, it is [simpler, more effortless] easier for a camel [a large, cumbersome animal] to pass through the eye [a small opening, trypmalias] of a needle [a sharp, pointed object, rhaphidos] than for a rich [wealthy, affluent] man to enter [to go into, to become a part of] the kingdom [the reign, dominion, or rule] of God [the supreme deity].” word study 26 Those who heard [and understood, listened] this asked, “Who [which one, what person] then [at that time, in that case] can be saved [delivered, rescued] [from sin, from harm]?” word study 27 But Jesus said, “What [things which are] is impossible [unable, lacking power] with man [human beings, people] is possible [able, powerful] with God [the one true deity, Creator].” word study 28 “Look [behold, see],” said Peter [the rock, a disciple], “we [I, us, as a group] have left [released, abandoned] all [everything, every possession] we had [our own, what is ours] to follow [accompany, obey] You [as our Master, Lord].” word study 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left [abandoned, forsaken] home [house, family dwelling] or wife [woman, spouse] or brothers [male siblings, fellow believers] or parents [father and mother, family] or children [offsprings, descendants] for the sake [because of, on account of] of the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the Supreme Being, Creator] word study 30 will fail to receive many times more [manifold] in this age [this present time, this life]—and in the age [world] to come [that is to come, the future age], eternal [everlasting, age-during] life [existence, spiritual life].” word study 31 Then Jesus [having taken the twelve disciples aside] took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look [behold, see], we are going up [ascending, traveling] to Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine], and everything [all things, every prophecy] the prophets [men who spoke on God’s behalf] have written [recorded, spoken] about the Son of Man [the Messiah, the one who came from heaven] will be fulfilled [completed, accomplished, brought to pass]. word study 32 He will be delivered [handed over, surrendered] over to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] and will be mocked [ridiculed, jeered at] and insulted [mistreated, abused] and spit upon [treated with contempt, despised]. word study 33 They will flog [scourge, whip] Him and kill [put to death, destroy] Him, and on the third day He will rise [stand up, get up from rest] again [come back to life, become alive again].” word study 34 But the disciples did not understand [comprehend, perceive] any of these things [events, teachings]. The meaning [true significance, spiritual sense] was hidden [concealed, veiled] from them, and they did not comprehend [grasp, know] what He was saying [declaring, uttering]. word study 35 As Jesus drew near [approached, came close to] to Jericho [a city in Palestine], a blind [physically and possibly spiritually unaware] man was sitting [seated, resting] beside [by the side of, near] the road [path, way], begging [asking for help, soliciting assistance]. word study 36 When he heard [with understanding, to perceive] the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] going by, he asked [inquired, sought to know] what [which thing, this event] was happening [taking place, occurring]. word study 37 “Jesus [the Nazarene, Joshua, God is salvation] of Nazareth [from the city of Nazareth, a Nazoraeus] is passing by [goes away, is going by, passeth by],” they told him [declared, announced, brought him word]. word study 38 So he called out [cried, shouted], “Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation], Son [descendant, child] of David [King of Israel], have mercy [show compassion, pity] on me [I, the speaker]!” word study 39 Those who led the way [going before, at the front] admonished him [rebuked, warned] to be silent [hold his peace, quiet], but he cried out [shouted loudly, with great urgency] all the louder [much more, with increased intensity], “Son [descendant, child] of David [King of Israel, ancestor of Jesus], have mercy [show compassion, pity] on me [I, the one speaking]!” word study 40 Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] stopped [stood still, came to a halt] and directed [ordered, commanded] that the man be brought [led, guided] to Him [toward Him, into His presence]. When he had been brought near [come close, approached], Jesus [the son of God, the Savior] asked [questioned, sought information from] him, word study 41 “What [which thing, what matter] do you want [desire, will] Me to do [make, perform] for you [on your behalf, to you]?” “Lord [Master, God],” he said, “let me see [recover my sight, look up] again [anew, once more].” word study 42 “Receive [recover, regain] your sight [vision, ability to see]!” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] replied. “Your [personal, individual] faith [trust, confidence in God] has [completely, fully] healed [saved, made whole] you [restored to health, delivered].” word study 43 Immediately [at once, instantly] he received his sight [was able to see, regained his vision] and followed Jesus [accompanied him, walked with him], glorifying [praising, honoring] God [the one true deity]. And all [every, the entire crowd] the people [a group of individuals, a nation] who saw [perceived, witnessed] this gave praise [expressed gratitude, offered thanks] to God. word study