Luke 18 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Luk 18:1

Luk 18:1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

Luk 18:2

Luk 18:2saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

Luk 18:3

Luk 18:3“Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

Luk 18:4

Luk 18:4“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

Luk 18:5

Luk 18:5‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

Luk 18:6

Luk 18:6Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.

Luk 18:7

Luk 18:7“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

Luk 18:8

Luk 18:8“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luk 18:9

Luk 18:9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Luk 18:10

Luk 18:10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luk 18:11

Luk 18:11“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

Luk 18:12

Luk 18:12‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

Luk 18:13

Luk 18:13“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Luk 18:14

Luk 18:14“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(Matt. 19:13–15; Mark 10:13–16 )

Luk 18:15

Luk 18:15Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Luk 18:16

Luk 18:16But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

Luk 18:17

Luk 18:17“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

(Matt. 19:16–22; Mark 10:17–22 )

Luk 18:18

Luk 18:18Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Luk 18:19

Luk 18:19So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

Luk 18:20

Luk 18:20“You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”[fn]

Luk 18:21

Luk 18:21And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

Luk 18:22

Luk 18:22So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Luk 18:23

Luk 18:23But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

With God All Things Are Possible

(Matt. 19:23–30; Mark 10:23–31 )

Luk 18:24

Luk 18:24And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!

Luk 18:25

Luk 18:25“For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luk 18:26

Luk 18:26And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

Luk 18:27

Luk 18:27But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Luk 18:28

Luk 18:28Then Peter said, “See, we have left all[fn] and followed You.”

Luk 18:29

Luk 18:29So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

Luk 18:30

Luk 18:30“who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

(Matt. 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34 )

Luk 18:31

Luk 18:31Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

Luk 18:32

Luk 18:32“For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

Luk 18:33

Luk 18:33“They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Luk 18:34

Luk 18:34But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight

(Matt. 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52 )

Luk 18:35

Luk 18:35Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.

Luk 18:36

Luk 18:36And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.

Luk 18:37

Luk 18:37So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

Luk 18:38

Luk 18:38And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luk 18:39

Luk 18:39Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luk 18:40

Luk 18:40So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him,

Luk 18:41

Luk 18:41saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

Luk 18:42

Luk 18:42Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”

Luk 18:43

Luk 18:43And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(18:20)

Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20

(18:28)

NU-Text reads our own.

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