New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Luke 18
1
Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Reference
2
He said, "In a certain town there was a judge. He didn't have any respect for God or care about people.
Reference
3
A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, 'Make things right for me. Someone is doing me wrong.'
Reference
4
"For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, 'I don't have any respect for God. I don't care about people.
Reference
5
But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don't, she will wear me out by coming again and again!' "
Reference
7
"God's chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won't he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off?
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 3:9
Luke 11:13
Revelation 6:10
Matthew 7:11
Habakkuk 2:3
References God
1 Timothy 5:5
2 Thessalonians 1:6
Psalm 88:1
Luke 2:37
Revelation 18:20
8
I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?"
Reference
9
Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everybody else.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 30:12
Isaiah 65:5
Romans 14:10
Luke 7:39
Romans 7:9
Luke 19:7
Righteousness
Luke 16:15
Romans 10:3
Luke 18:11
10
He said to them, "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector.
Reference
Prayer
1 Kings 8:30
11
"The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself. 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people,' he said. 'I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector.
Reference
13
"But the tax collector stood not very far away. He would not even look up to heaven. He beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.'
Reference
Grace
Psalm 41:4
Hebrews 8:12
Hebrews 4:16
Parallel theme
Luke 23:48
Acts 2:37
Isaiah 6:5
References God
Ezra 9:6
Sin
1 Timothy 1:15
Psalm 25:11
Romans 5:8
14
"I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. Everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And anyone who is brought down will be lifted up."
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 14:11
James 4:10
Proverbs 29:23
Matthew 23:12
James 4:6
Psalm 138:6
Luke 1:52
Isaiah 57:15
Matthew 5:3
Righteousness
Luke 16:15
15
People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 1:24
16
But Jesus asked the children to come to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 14:20
1 Corinthians 7:14
1 Peter 2:2
References God
Deuteronomy 31:12
Acts 2:39
Genesis 21:4
17
What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it."
Reference
18
A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. "Good teacher," he said, "what must I do to receive eternal life?"
Reference
20
You know what the commandments say. 'Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not give false witness. Honor your father and mother.' "--(Exodus 20:12?16; Deuteronomy 5:16?20)
Reference
21
"I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy," the ruler said.
Reference
Parallel theme
Philippians 3:6
22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 12:33
Luke 16:9
Luke 10:42
Psalm 27:4
2 Peter 3:8
Luke 9:23
Philippians 3:13
References Jesus
Matthew 19:21
24
Jesus looked at him. Then he said, "How hard it is for rich people to enter God's kingdom!
Reference
25
Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for the rich to enter God's kingdom!"
26
Those who heard this asked, "Then who can be saved?"
27
Jesus replied, "Things that are impossible with people are possible with God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 42:2
Genesis 18:14
Daniel 4:35
References God
Jeremiah 32:17
Matthew 19:26
Luke 1:37
29
"What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus said to them. "Has anyone left home or family for God's kingdom?
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 33:9
30
They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will live forever."
Reference
31
Jesus took the Twelve to one side. He told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true.
Reference
Parallel theme
Zechariah 13:7
Luke 9:22
Daniel 9:26
Mark 8:9
References Jerusalem
Matthew 16:21
Luke 9:51
32
He will be handed over to people who are not Jews. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. They will whip him and kill him.
Reference
34
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn't know what Jesus was talking about.
Reference
35
Jesus was approaching Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging.
Reference
36
The blind man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was happening.
37
They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 2:23
39
Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David! Have mercy on me!"
Reference
40
Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus spoke to him.
41
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "Lord, I want to be able to see," the blind man replied.
Reference
42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."
Reference
Faith
Luke 17:19
Luke 8:48
Matthew 9:22
Matthew 15:28
Parallel theme
Psalm 107:20
Psalm 33:9
References Jesus
Matthew 8:3
Salvation
Luke 7:50
43
Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Reference
Resurrection
Psalm 146:8
Summary of Luke 18
Luke 18 focuses on persistent prayer, humility, repentance, childlike dependence, the danger of wealth, sacrificial discipleship, Jesus' approaching suffering, and faith that recognizes and responds to Him.
Jesus begins with the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge, teaching His disciples that they should pray continually and not give up, even when justice or an answer seems delayed.
The judge is deliberately presented as an unrighteous man who eventually gives the widow justice simply because she refuses to stop asking, creating a powerful contrast with God, who is righteous and attentive to His people.
Jesus then asks whether the Son of Man will find faith on earth when He comes, shifting the emphasis from God's willingness to answer prayer toward the believer's responsibility to remain faithful while waiting.
The second parable addresses people who trust in their own righteousness and look down on others.
A Pharisee and a tax collector go to the Temple to pray, but their approaches are completely different: the Pharisee proudly lists his religious achievements and compares himself favorably with other people, while the tax collector stands at a distance, humbly admits his sin, and asks God for mercy.
Jesus declares that the tax collector goes home justified rather than the Pharisee, establishing one of the chapter's clearest principles: those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Jesus then welcomes infants after His disciples attempt to prevent people from bringing them to Him, explaining that God's kingdom belongs to those who receive it like children.
The emphasis is on humble dependence and receptiveness, not on childish behavior, and the teaching reinforces the chapter's broader rejection of self-sufficiency and spiritual pride.
The story of the wealthy ruler follows naturally because the man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.
Although he has kept many commandments from his youth, Jesus identifies the one thing preventing complete surrender: his attachment to wealth.
Jesus tells him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him, and the ruler becomes deeply sad because he is extremely wealthy.
Jesus then gives the striking image of a camel passing through the eye of a needle, emphasizing how difficult it can be for wealth to cease being a person's ultimate source of security.
When the disciples ask who can therefore be saved, Jesus gives the essential answer: what is impossible with people is possible with God.
The disciples then remind Jesus that they have left their homes and possessions to follow Him, and Jesus promises that those who sacrifice for God's kingdom will receive far more in the present community of believers and ultimately eternal life.
He concludes this section by repeating the great reversal that appears throughout the chapter: many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.
Jesus then takes the Twelve aside and gives one of the clearest predictions of His coming suffering in Luke.
He tells them that they are going to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted, spit upon, flogged, and killed, but will rise again on the third day.
The disciples do not understand the prediction, showing that they still struggle to comprehend a Messiah whose path to victory runs through suffering and death.
The chapter concludes near Jericho, where Jesus encounters a blind man sitting beside the road and begging.
When the man hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, he repeatedly cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The crowd tries to silence him, but he becomes even more persistent.
Jesus stops and asks what he wants, and the man simply asks to receive his sight.
Jesus heals him, and immediately the man follows Jesus while glorifying God, causing the surrounding people to praise God as well.
This final scene provides a powerful contrast with the wealthy ruler: the ruler could see physically but struggled to see what mattered spiritually, while the blind man could not see physically but recognized Jesus' identity and responded to Him with persistent faith.
Historically, Luke 18 belongs to the 1st century AD, during Jesus' final journey toward Jerusalem around AD 28–30. The chapter reflects the social realities of the period, including the vulnerability of widows, the status of tax collectors, the economic power of wealthy landowners, the importance of the Jerusalem Temple, and the dependence of people with disabilities upon public charity.
The reference to the Temple is especially significant because the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, several decades after the events described here.
Luke 18 ultimately teaches that God's people should pray persistently, remain humble rather than self-righteous, receive God's kingdom with dependent faith, refuse to allow wealth to become their master, accept the cost of discipleship, and respond to Jesus with the persistent faith demonstrated by the blind man who recognized Him as the Son of David.
Jesus begins with the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge, teaching His disciples that they should pray continually and not give up, even when justice or an answer seems delayed.
The judge is deliberately presented as an unrighteous man who eventually gives the widow justice simply because she refuses to stop asking, creating a powerful contrast with God, who is righteous and attentive to His people.
Jesus then asks whether the Son of Man will find faith on earth when He comes, shifting the emphasis from God's willingness to answer prayer toward the believer's responsibility to remain faithful while waiting.
The second parable addresses people who trust in their own righteousness and look down on others.
A Pharisee and a tax collector go to the Temple to pray, but their approaches are completely different: the Pharisee proudly lists his religious achievements and compares himself favorably with other people, while the tax collector stands at a distance, humbly admits his sin, and asks God for mercy.
Jesus declares that the tax collector goes home justified rather than the Pharisee, establishing one of the chapter's clearest principles: those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Jesus then welcomes infants after His disciples attempt to prevent people from bringing them to Him, explaining that God's kingdom belongs to those who receive it like children.
The emphasis is on humble dependence and receptiveness, not on childish behavior, and the teaching reinforces the chapter's broader rejection of self-sufficiency and spiritual pride.
The story of the wealthy ruler follows naturally because the man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.
Although he has kept many commandments from his youth, Jesus identifies the one thing preventing complete surrender: his attachment to wealth.
Jesus tells him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him, and the ruler becomes deeply sad because he is extremely wealthy.
Jesus then gives the striking image of a camel passing through the eye of a needle, emphasizing how difficult it can be for wealth to cease being a person's ultimate source of security.
When the disciples ask who can therefore be saved, Jesus gives the essential answer: what is impossible with people is possible with God.
The disciples then remind Jesus that they have left their homes and possessions to follow Him, and Jesus promises that those who sacrifice for God's kingdom will receive far more in the present community of believers and ultimately eternal life.
He concludes this section by repeating the great reversal that appears throughout the chapter: many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.
Jesus then takes the Twelve aside and gives one of the clearest predictions of His coming suffering in Luke.
He tells them that they are going to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the Gentiles, mocked, insulted, spit upon, flogged, and killed, but will rise again on the third day.
The disciples do not understand the prediction, showing that they still struggle to comprehend a Messiah whose path to victory runs through suffering and death.
The chapter concludes near Jericho, where Jesus encounters a blind man sitting beside the road and begging.
When the man hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, he repeatedly cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The crowd tries to silence him, but he becomes even more persistent.
Jesus stops and asks what he wants, and the man simply asks to receive his sight.
Jesus heals him, and immediately the man follows Jesus while glorifying God, causing the surrounding people to praise God as well.
This final scene provides a powerful contrast with the wealthy ruler: the ruler could see physically but struggled to see what mattered spiritually, while the blind man could not see physically but recognized Jesus' identity and responded to Him with persistent faith.
Historically, Luke 18 belongs to the 1st century AD, during Jesus' final journey toward Jerusalem around AD 28–30. The chapter reflects the social realities of the period, including the vulnerability of widows, the status of tax collectors, the economic power of wealthy landowners, the importance of the Jerusalem Temple, and the dependence of people with disabilities upon public charity.
The reference to the Temple is especially significant because the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, several decades after the events described here.
Luke 18 ultimately teaches that God's people should pray persistently, remain humble rather than self-righteous, receive God's kingdom with dependent faith, refuse to allow wealth to become their master, accept the cost of discipleship, and respond to Jesus with the persistent faith demonstrated by the blind man who recognized Him as the Son of David.