Receive the Kingdom Like a Child — Luke 18:15–30

¹He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray and not give up,

²saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect man.

³A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’

⁴He wouldn’t for a while; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,

⁵yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ”

⁶The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

⁷Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

⁸I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

⁹He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others:

¹⁰“Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

¹²I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’

¹³But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

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

¹⁵They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

¹⁶Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

¹⁷Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

¹⁸A certain ruler asked him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God.

²⁰You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ ‘Don’t murder,’ ‘Don’t steal,’ ‘Don’t give false testimony,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

²¹He said, “I have observed all these things from my youth up.”

²²When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

²³But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

²⁴Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!

²⁵For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

²⁶Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

²⁸Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

²⁹He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake,

³⁰who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”

³¹He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

³⁵As he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.

³⁶Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.

³⁷They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

³⁸He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,

⁴¹“What do you want me to do?” He said, “Lord, that I may see again.”

⁴²Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.”

⁴³Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.