Luke 18 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Jesus told them a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

"In a certain town there was a judge who didn't care about God and didn't care about people.

And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me justice against the one who wronged me.'

For a while he refused. But eventually he said to himself, 'I don't care about God, and I don't care about people,

but because this widow keeps bothering me, I'll make sure she gets justice — otherwise she'll wear me out with her constant coming!'"

Then the Lord said, "Listen to what this corrupt judge says.

Won't God make sure justice is done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

I'm telling you, he will make sure they get justice, and quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find that kind of trust on earth?"

He also told this story to some people who were confident in their own moral standing and looked down on everyone else:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed like this: 'God, I thank you that I'm not like other people — cheaters, people who do wrong, people who sleep around — or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of everything I earn.'

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn't even look up toward heaven. He beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me — I've failed you.'

I'm telling you, this man went home in right standing with God, not the other one. Because everyone who promotes themselves will be brought low, and the one who humbles themselves will be lifted up."

People were also bringing their babies to Jesus so he would touch them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop.

But Jesus called the children over to him and said, "Let the little ones come to me. Don't stop them, because God's kingdom belongs to people like these.

I'm telling you the truth: anyone who doesn't receive God's kingdom the way a child does will never enter it."

One of the ruling class asked him, "Good Teacher, what do I need to do to get limitless life?"

Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

You know the commands: Don't sleep with someone else's spouse. Don't murder. Don't steal. Don't give false testimony. Honor your father and mother."

He replied, "I've kept all of these since I was young."

When Jesus heard this, he said, "There's still one thing you're missing. Sell everything you own and give it to the poor, and you'll have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me."

When the man heard this, he became deeply sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for those with wealth to enter God's kingdom!

It's easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom."

Those who heard this said, "Then who can possibly be rescued?"

Jesus replied, "What's impossible for people is possible for God."

Peter said, "Look, we left everything we had to follow you."

"I'm telling you the truth," Jesus said. "Everyone who has left home, spouse, brothers, sisters, parents, or children because of God's kingdom

will receive many times more in this present age, and in the age to come, limitless life."

Jesus took the twelve aside and told them, "Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.

He will be handed over to the non-Jewish authorities. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him,

flog him, and kill him. But on the third day, he will rise again."

The disciples didn't understand any of this. The meaning was hidden from them, and they couldn't grasp what he was talking about.

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging.

When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was going on.

They told him, "Jesus from Nazareth is passing through."

So he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

The people in front told him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stopped and had the man brought to him. When the man came close, Jesus asked him,

"What do you want me to do for you?" The man said, "Lord, I want to see again."

Jesus said to him, "See again! Your trust has healed you."

Immediately he could see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And everyone who saw it praised God too.