A Widow and a Judge
1 Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up:
2 In a town there was once a judge who didn't fear God or care about people. 3 In that same town there was a widow who kept going to the judge and saying, “Make sure that I get fair treatment in court.”
4 For a while the judge refused to do anything. Finally, he said to himself, “Even though I don't fear God or care about people, 5 I will help this widow because she keeps on bothering me. If I don't help her, she will wear me out.”
6 The Lord said:
Think about what that crooked judge said. 7 Won't God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won't he be concerned for them? 8 He will surely hurry and help them. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find on this earth anyone with faith?
A Pharisee and a Tax Collector
9 Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:
10 Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. 12 I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
13 The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.”
14 Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
(Matthew 19.13-15Mark 10.13-16)15 Some people brought their little children for Jesus to bless. But when his disciples saw them doing this, they told the people to stop bothering him. 16 So Jesus called the children over to him and said, “Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom. 17 You will never get into God's kingdom unless you enter it like a child!”
A Rich and Important Man
(Matthew 19.16-30Mark 10.17-31)18 An important man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?”
19 Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Respect your father and mother.’ ”
21 He told Jesus, “I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said, “There is one thing you still need to do. Go and sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” 23 When the man heard this, he was sad, because he was very rich.
24 Jesus saw how sad the man was. So he said, “It's terribly hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom! 25 In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”
26 When the crowd heard this, they asked, “How can anyone ever be saved?”
27 Jesus replied, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”
28 Peter said, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”
29 Jesus answered, “You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom 30 will be given much more in this life. And in the future world they will have eternal life.”
Jesus Again Tells about His Death
(Matthew 20.17-19Mark 10.32-34)31 Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said:
We are now on our way to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will happen there. 32 He will be handed over to foreigners, who will make fun of him, mistreat him, and spit on him. 33 They will beat him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.
34 The apostles did not understand what Jesus was talking about. They could not understand, because the meaning of what he said was hidden from them.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
(Matthew 20.29-34Mark 10.46-52)35 When Jesus was coming close to Jericho, a blind man sat begging beside the road. 36 The man heard the crowd walking by and asked what was happening. 37 Some people told him that Jesus from Nazareth was passing by. 38 So the blind man shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 39 The people who were going along with Jesus told the man to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and told some people to bring the blind man over to him. When the blind man was getting near, Jesus asked, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see!” he answered.
42 Jesus replied, “Look and you will see! Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” 43 At once the man could see, and he went with Jesus and started thanking God. When the crowds saw what happened, they praised God.
1 Vēl Viņš tiem stāstīja līdzību par to, ka tiem aizvien būs lūgt Dievu un nebūs pagurt. 2 "Kādā pilsētā dzīvoja tiesnesis, kas Dieva nebijās un no cilvēkiem nekaunējās. 3 Bet tai pašā pilsētā bija atraitne, tā nāca pie viņa un sacīja: izlem manu lietu pret manu pretinieku. 4 Tas ilgu laiku negribēja. Bet tad viņš sāka spriest sevī: lai gan es Dieva nebīstos un no cilvēkiem nekaunos, 5 tomēr, lai viņa mani nemocītu, es gribu viņas lietu izlemt, citādi viņa vēl beigās nāks un man sitīs vaigā. 6 Un Tas Kungs sacīja: vai dzirdējāt, ko netaisnais tiesnesis saka? 7 Un Dievs lai nedotu tiesu Saviem izredzētiem, kas dienu un nakti viņu piesauc, kaut gan Viņš vilcinās? 8 Es jums saku: Viņš viņu lietu izlems visai drīz. Bet vai Cilvēka Dēls, kad Tas nāks, atradīs ticību virs zemes?" 9 Bet tādiem, kas paši bija pārliecināti, ka viņi ir taisni un ar nicināšanu skatījās uz visiem citiem, Viņš stāstīja šādu līdzību: 10 "Divi cilvēki aizgāja uz Templi Dievu lūgt. Viens bija farizejs, bet otrs - muitnieks. 11 Farizejs nostājās un lūdza pie sevis: es tev pateicos, Dievs, ka es neesmu tāds kā citi cilvēki - laupītāji, ļaundari, laulības pārkāpēji vai arī kā šis muitnieks. 12 Es gavēju divreiz nedēļā un maksāju desmito tiesu no visiem saviem ienākumiem. 13 Turpretim muitnieks, iztālēm stāvēdams, neuzdrošinājās pat acis pacelt uz debesīm, bet sita pa savām krūtīm un sacīja: Dievs, esi man grēciniekam žēlīgs! 14 Es jums saku: viņš nogāja savās mājās taisnots, labāks par otru. Jo katrs, kas pats paaugstinās, taps pazemots, bet, kas pats pazemojas, taps paaugstināts." 15 Arī mazos bērnus Viņam pienesa, lai Viņš tiem pieskartos. Bet mācekļi, to pamanījuši, tos norāja. 16 Jēzus turpretim tos pieaicināja un sacīja: "Laidiet bērniņus pie Manis un neliedziet tiem, jo tādiem pieder Dieva valstība. 17 Tiešām Es jums saku: kas Dieva valstību nesaņem kā bērniņš, nenāks tur iekšā." 18 Bet kāds priekšnieks Viņam jautāja: "Labo Mācītāj, kas man jādara, lai es iemantotu mūžīgu dzīvību?" 19 Bet Jēzus tam sacīja: "Ko tu Mani sauci par labu? Neviens nav labs, izņemot vienīgi Dievu. 20 Baušļus tu zini: tev nebūs laulību pārkāpt, tev nebūs nokaut, tev nebūs zagt, tev nebūs nepatiesu liecību dot, godā savu tēvu un savu māti." 21 Tas atbildēja: "To visu es esmu turējis no mazotnes." 22 Kad Jēzus to dzirdēja, Viņš teica: "Vienas lietas tev vēl trūkst: pārdod visu, kas tev pieder, un izdali to starp nabagiem, tad tev būs manta debesīs, un tad nāc Man līdzi!" 23 Bet viņš, to dzirdēdams, ļoti noskuma, jo viņš bija ļoti bagāts. 24 Bet, kad Jēzus to redzēja, Viņš sacīja: "Cik grūti tiem, kam daudz mantas, iekļūt Dieva valstībā! 25 Jo vieglāk ir kamielim iet caur adatas aci, nekā bagātam ieiet Dieva valstībā." 26 Tad tie, kas to dzirdēja, sacīja: "Kas tad var tikt izglābts?" 27 Bet Viņš atbildēja: "Kas cilvēkiem nav iespējams, tas iespējams Dievam." 28 Tad Pēteris sacīja: "Redzi, mēs esam atstājuši visu un esam Tev gājuši līdzi." 29 Bet Viņš teica: "Tiešām Es jums saku: nav neviena, kas Dieva valstības dēļ būtu atstājis māju, sievu, brāļus, vecākus vai bērnus, 30 kas to daudzkārtīgi neatdabūs jau šinī laikā, bet nākamā laikā mūžīgo dzīvību." 31 Un, tos divpadsmit pie Sevis ņēmis, Viņš tiem sacīja: "Redziet, mēs noejam uz Jeruzālemi, lai piepildītos viss, ko pravieši rakstījuši par Cilvēka Dēlu. 32 Viņu nodos pagānu rokās, apsmies, nonievās un apspļaudīs, 33 šautīs ar pātagām un nonāvēs, bet trešajā dienā Viņš celsies augšām." 34 Bet viņi no tā neko nesaprata; tumšs bija viņiem šis vārds, un tie to nevarēja saprast. 35 Bet, kad Viņš tuvojās Jērikai, kāds akls tur sēdēja ceļmalā un ubagoja. 36 Dzirdēdams ļaužu barus garām ejam, viņš sāka taujāt, kas tur esot. 37 Tad viņam pateica, ka Jēzus Nacarietis ejot garām. 38 Tad viņš sauca: "Jēzu, Dāvida dēls, apžēlojies par mani!" 39 Tie, kas priekšā gāja, viņu apsauca, lai tas ciešot klusu. Bet viņš vēl stiprāk kliedza: "Tu Dāvida dēls, apžēlojies par mani!" 40 Tad Jēzus apstājās un lika to atvest pie Sevis. Kad tas bija pienācis klāt, Viņš tam jautāja: 41 "Ko tu gribi, lai Es tev daru?" Tas atbildēja: "Kungs, ka es varu redzēt." 42 Tad Jēzus viņam sacīja: "Esi redzīgs, tava ticība tev ir palīdzējusi." 43 Un tūliņ viņš kļuva redzīgs un gāja viņiem līdzi, Dievu slavēdams. Un visa tauta, to redzēdama, deva Dievam godu.
