Luke

Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge

 Jesus told them a parable to illustrate that they should pray constantly and not lose heart. 

He said: 

“In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about people. 

In the same town, there was a widow who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Defend my rights against my adversary!’ 

For a while, he refused, but finally he thought, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor care about people,

this widow damages my reputation, so I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wear me out.”

And Jesus said: 

“Listen to what the evil judge says. 

Will God not do justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night, even if he delays in answering? 

I tell you, he will quickly do justice for them. But, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Jesus shared another parable to some people who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on others: 

“Two men went up to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 

The Pharisee stood by himself and said: ‘

I thank you, God, that I am not like other people, grasping, crooked, adulterous, or even like this tax collector. 

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all my income to the temple.’

In the meantime, the tax collector, standing far away, would not even lift his eyes to heaven but beat his chest, saying: 

‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’

I tell you, when this man returned to his house, he had been reconciled with God, but not the other. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be lifted up.”

People even brought little children to Jesus so he could touch them, but when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those people. 

So Jesus called the children to him and said: 

“Let the children come to me and don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”

An official asked Jesus, “Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

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

You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not kill; do not steal; do not falsely accuse; honor your father and your mother.”

And the man said, “I have kept all these commandments from my youth.”

Then Jesus answered, “There is still one thing you lack. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in Heaven. And then come, follow me!” 

When he heard these words, the man became sad, because he was very rich. 

Jesus, noticing this, said, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

The bystanders asked, “Who then can be saved?”

And Jesus replied, “What is impossible for human beings is possible for God.”

Then Peter said, “We left everything we had and followed you.”

Jesus replied, “Truly, I tell you, whoever has left home or wife, or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

will receive much more in this present time, and eternal life in the age to come.”

Jesus then took the Twelve aside and told them, “Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the Prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 

He will be delivered to the foreign powers. People will mock him, insult him, and spit on him. 

After they have scourged him, they will kill him, but he will be raised on the third day.” 

The apostles couldn’t understand this; the meaning of these words remained a mystery to them, and they did not grasp what he said.

When Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.

When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was happening

and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 

Then he cried out: 

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

The people in front of him scolded him, saying: 

“Be quiet!” but he shouted even louder: 

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him: 

“What do you want me to do for you?” 

The man said: 

“Lord, that I may see!”

Jesus replied: 

“Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” 

Immediately, the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. All those who were there also praised God.