Luke 18:1-17

New King James Version

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men ^(A)always ought to pray and not lose heart, ² saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor ^[a]regard man. ³ Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ^[b]‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ ⁴ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ^5 (B)yet because this widow troubles me I will ^[c]avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷ And ^(C)shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ⁸ I tell you ^(D)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

⁹ Also He spoke this parable to some ^(E)who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee ^(F)stood and prayed thus with himself, ^(G)‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 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!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; ^(H)for everyone who exalts himself will be ^[d]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(I)

^15 (J)Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. ¹⁶ But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^(K)of such is the kingdom of God. ^17 (L)Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”