Y les refería Jesús una parábola para enseñarles que ellos debían orar^a en todo tiempo, y no desfallecer^b, 2 diciendo: Había en cierta ciudad un juez que ni temía a Dios ni respetaba a hombre alguno^a. 3 Y había en aquella ciudad una viuda, la cual venía a él constantemente, diciendo: «Hazme justicia de mi adversario». 4 Por algún tiempo él no quiso, pero después dijo para sí: «Aunque ni temo a Dios, ni respeto a hombre alguno^a, 5 sin embargo, porque esta viuda me molesta^a, le haré justicia; no sea que por venir continuamente me agote la paciencia^1b». 6 Y el Señor^a dijo: Escuchad lo que dijo* el juez injusto. 7 ¿Y no hará Dios justicia^a a sus escogidos^b, que claman a Él día y noche? ¿Se tardará mucho en responderles^1c? 8 Os digo que pronto les hará justicia. No obstante, cuando el Hijo del Hombre venga, ¿hallará fe^1a en la tierra?

9 Refirió también esta parábola a unos que confiaban en sí mismos^a como justos, y despreciaban a los demás^b: 10 Dos hombres subieron al templo a orar^a; uno era fariseo y el otro recaudador de impuestos¹. 11 El fariseo puesto en pie, oraba^a para sí de esta manera: «Dios, te doy gracias porque no soy como los demás hombres: estafadores, injustos, adúlteros; ni aun como este recaudador de impuestos. 12 Yo ayuno^a dos veces por semana; doy el diezmo de todo lo que gano^b». 13 Pero el recaudador de impuestos, de pie^a y a cierta distancia, no quería ni siquiera alzar los ojos al cielo^b, sino que se golpeaba el pecho^c, diciendo: «Dios, ten piedad de¹ mí, pecador». 14 Os digo queeste descendió a su casa justificado peroaquel no; porque todo el que se ensalza será humillado, pero el que se humilla será ensalzado^a.

15 ^aY le traían aun a los niños muy pequeños para que los tocara, pero al ver esto los discípulos, los reprendían. 16 Mas Jesús, llamándolos a su lado, dijo: Dejad que los niños vengan a mí, y no se lo impidáis, porque de los que son comoestos¹ es el reino de Dios. 17 En verdad os digo: el que no recibe el reino de Dios como un niño, no entrará en él^a.

18 ^aY cierto hombre prominente¹ le preguntó, diciendo: Maestro bueno, ¿qué haré para heredar la vida eterna? 19 Jesús le respondió: ¿Por qué me llamas bueno? Nadie es bueno, sinosolo uno, Dios. 20 Tú sabes los mandamientos: «NO COMETAS ADULTERIO, NO MATES, NO HURTES, NO DES FALSO TESTIMONIO, HONRA A TU PADRE Y A TU MADRE^a». 21 Y él dijo: Todo esto lo he guardado desde mi juventud. 22 Cuando Jesús oyó esto, le dijo: Te falta todavía una cosa; vende todo lo que tienes y reparte entre los pobres, y tendrás tesoro en los cielos^a; y ven, sígueme^b. 23 Pero al oír esto, se puso muy triste, pues era sumamente rico. 24 Mirándolo Jesús, dijo: ¡Qué difícil es que entren en el reino de Dios los que tienen riquezas^a! 25 Porque es más fácil que un camello pase¹ por el ojo de una aguja, que el que un rico entre en el reino de Dios^a. 26 Los que oyeron esto, dijeron: ¿Y quién podrá salvarse? 27 Y Él respondió: Lo imposible para los hombres, es posible para Dios^a. 28 Y Pedro dijo: He aquí, nosotros lo hemos dejado todo¹ y te hemos seguido^a. 29 Entonces Él les dijo: En verdad os digo: no hay nadie que haya dejado casa, o mujer, o hermanos, o padres o hijos por la causa del reino de Dios^a, 30 que no reciba muchas veces más en este tiempo, y en el siglo venidero^a, la vida eterna.

31 ^aTomando aparte a los doce, Jesús les dijo: Mirad, subimos a Jerusalén^b, y se cumplirán todas las cosas que están escritas por medio de los profetas acerca del Hijo del Hombre^c. 32 Pues será entregado a los gentiles, y será objeto de burla, afrentado y escupido^a; 33 y después de azotarle, le matarán, y al tercer día resucitará. 34 Pero ellos no comprendieron nada de esto; este dicho les estaba encubierto^a, y no entendían lo que se les decía.

35 ^aY aconteció que al acercarse a Jericó, un ciego estaba sentado junto al camino mendigando^b. 36 Al oír que pasaba una multitud, preguntaba qué era aquello. 37 Y le informaron que pasaba Jesús de Nazaret. 38 Entonces gritó, diciendo: ¡Jesús, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí^a! 39 Y los que iban delante lo reprendían para que se callara; pero él gritaba mucho más: ¡Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí^a! 40 Jesús se detuvo y¹ ordenó que se lo trajeran; y cuando estuvo cerca, le preguntó: 41 ¿Qué deseas que haga por ti? Y él dijo: Señor, que recobre la vista. 42 Jesús entonces le dijo: Recibe¹ la vista, tu fe te ha sanado^2a. 43 Y al instante recobró la vista, y le seguía glorificando a Dios^a; cuando toda la gente vio aquello, dieron gloria a Dios^b.

Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ^aought to pray and not ^bgive up and lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no ^arespect for man. 3 There was a desperate widow in that city and she kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice and legal protection from my adversary.’ 4 For a time he would not; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor ^arespect man, 5 yet ^abecause this widow continues to bother me, I will give her justice and legal protection; otherwise ¹by continually coming she will be an intolerable annoyance and she will ^bwear me out.’” 6 Then ^athe Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! 7 And will not our just God ^adefend and avenge His ^belect His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night? Will He ^cdelay in providing justice on their behalf? 8 I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, ^awill He find this kind of persistent faith on the earth?”

9 He also told this parable to some people who ^atrusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God, and who ^bviewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men ^awent up into the temple enclosure to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee ^astood ostentatiously and began praying to himself in a self-righteous way, saying: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest) , adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I ^afast twice a week; I ^bpay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, ^astanding at a distance, ^bwould not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but ^cwas striking his chest in humility and repentance, saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his home justified forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God rather than the other man; ^afor everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself forsaking self-righteous pride will be exalted.”

15 ^aNow they were also bringing their babies to Him, so that He would touch and bless them, and when the disciples noticed it, they began reprimanding them. 16 But Jesus called them to Himself, saying to the apostles, “Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, ^awhoever does not receive the kingdom of God with faith and humility like a child will not enter it at all.”

18 ^aA certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher You who are essentially and morally good, what shall I do to inherit eternal life that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom?” Matt 19:16-29; Mark 10:17-30 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is essentially and morally good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘^aDO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT TESTIFY FALSELY, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.’” Ex 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20 21 He replied, “I have kept all these things from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing; ^asell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have abundant ^btreasure in heaven; and come, follow Me becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “^aHow difficult it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For ^ait is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man who places his faith in wealth or status to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And those who heard it said, “¹Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “^aThe things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” Gen 18:14; Jer 32:17

28 Peter said, “Look, ^awe have left all things—homes, families, businesses and followed You.” 29 And He said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, ^athere is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much in this present age and in ^athe age to come, eternal life.”

31 ^aThen taking the ¹twelve disciples aside, He said to them, “Listen carefully: ^bwe are going up to Jerusalem, and ^call things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled and completed. Is 53:1-12 32 ^aHe will be betrayed and handed over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities) , and will be mocked and ridiculed and insulted and abused and spit on, Is 50:6 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise from the dead.” Ps 16:10 34 But ^athe disciples understood none of these things about the approaching death and resurrection of Jesus. This statement was hidden from them, and they did not grasp the meaning of the things that were said by Jesus.

35 ^aAs ^bHe was approaching Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, it happened that a blind man was sitting beside the road begging. Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52 36 Now when he heard a crowd going by, he began to ask what this was about. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 So he shouted out, saying, “Jesus, ^1aSon of David (Messiah) , have mercy on me!” 39 Those who were leading the way were sternly telling him to keep quiet; but he screamed all the more, “^aSon of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that the blind man be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me regain my sight!” 42 Jesus said to him, “Regain your sight; ^ayour personal trust and confident faith in Me has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus, ^aglorifying and praising and honoring God. And ^ball the people, when they saw it, praised God.