Luke 17:20-18:8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Coming of the Kingdom
20 Once Jesus[a] was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among[b] you.”(A)
22 Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.(B) 23 They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go; do not set off in pursuit.(C) 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.[c](D) 25 But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.(E) 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so, too, it will be in the days of the Son of Man.(F) 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,(G) 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them; 30 it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away, and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.”[d] 37 Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.”
The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge
18 Then Jesus[e] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ 4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ”[f] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.