18One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.G1161G3004G2532G3850G846G4314G1163G3842G4336G2532G3361G1573 2"There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people.G3004G2258G1722G5100G4172G5100G2923G5399G3361G2316G2532G3361G1788G444 3A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.'G1161G2258G5503G1722G1565G4172G2532G2064G4314G846G3004G1556G3165G575G3450G476 4The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people,G2532G2309G3756G1909G5550G1161G5023G3326G2036G1722G1438G1499G5399G3756G2316G2532G3756G1788G444 5but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"G1065G1223G5026G5503G3930G2873G3427G1556G846G3363G1519G5056G2064G5299G3165 6Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.G1161G2962G2036G191G5101G93G2923G3004 7Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?G1161G1557G3364G2316G4160G1557G846G1588G3588G994G2250G2532G3571G4314G846G2532G3114G1909G846 8I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"G3004G5213G3754G4160G1557G846G5034G1722G4133G687G5207G444G2064G2147G4102G1909G1093 9Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.G1161G2036G2532G5026G3850G4314G5100G3588G3982G1909G1438G3754G1526G1342G2532G1848G3062 10"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.G1417G444G305G1519G2411G4336G1520G5330G2532G2087G5057 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!G5330G2476G4336G5023G4314G1438G2316G2168G4671G3754G1510G3756G5618G3062G444G727G94G3432G2228G2532G5613G3778G5057 12I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'G3522G1364G4521G586G3956G3745G2932 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'G2532G5057G2476G3113G2309G3756G1869G3761G3788G1519G3772G235G5180G1519G846G4738G3004G2316G2433G3427G268 14I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."G3004G5213G3778G2597G1519G846G3624G1344G2228G1565G3754G3956G5312G1438G5013G1161G5013G1438G5312 15One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.G1161G4374G846G2532G1025G2443G680G846G1161G3101G1492G2008G846 16Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.G1161G2424G4341G846G2036G863G3813G2064G4314G3165G2532G2967G846G3361G1063G5108G2076G932G2316 17I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."G281G3004G5213G3739G1209G3362G1209G932G2316G5613G3813G1525G3364G1525G1519G846 18Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"G2532G5100G758G1905G846G3004G18G1320G5101G4160G2816G166G2222 19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Only God is truly good.G1161G2424G2036G846G5101G3004G3165G18G3762G18G1508G1520G2316 20But to answer your question, you know the commandments: 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'"G1492G1785G3431G3361G3431G5407G3361G5407G2813G3361G2813G5576G3361G5576G5091G4675G3962G2532G4675G3384 21The man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young."G1161G2036G3956G5023G5442G1537G3450G3503 22When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."G1161G2424G191G5023G2036G846G2089G3007G4671G1520G4453G3956G3745G2192G2532G1239G4434G2532G2192G2344G1722G3772G2532G1204G190G3427 23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.G1161G191G5023G1096G4036G1063G2258G4970G4145 24When Jesus saw this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!G1161G2424G1492G846G1096G4036G2036G4459G1423G1525G2192G5536G1525G1519G932G2316 25In fact, 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!"G1063G2076G2123G2574G1525G1223G4476G5168G2228G4145G1525G1519G932G2316 26Those who heard this said, "Then who in the world can be saved?"G1161G191G2036G5101G2532G1410G4982 27He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God."G1161G2036G102G3844G444G2076G1415G3844G2316 28Peter said, "We've left our homes to follow you."G1161G4074G2036G2400G2249G863G3956G2532G190G4671 29"Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,G1161G2036G846G281G3004G5213G3754G2076G3762G3739G863G3614G2228G1118G2228G80G2228G1135G2228G5043G1752G932G2316G1752 30will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come."G3739G618G3364G618G4179G1722G5129G2540G2532G1722G165G2064G2222G166 31Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, "Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.G1161G3880G1427G2036G4314G846G2400G305G1519G2414G2532G3956G1125G1223G4396G5207G444G5055 32He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon.G1063G3860G1484G2532G1702G2532G5195G2532G1716 33They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again."G2532G3146G615G846G615G2532G5154G2250G450 34But they didn't understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.G2532G846G4920G3762G5130G2532G5124G4487G2258G2928G575G846G2532G3756G1097G3004 35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road.G1161G1096G1722G846G1448G1519G2410G5100G5185G2521G3844G3598G4319 36When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening.G1161G191G3793G1279G4441G5101G5124G1498 37They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by.G1161G518G846G3754G2424G3480G3928 38So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"G2532G994G3004G2424G5207G1138G1653G3165 39"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"G2532G4254G2008G846G2443G4623G1161G846G2896G4183G3123G5207G1138G1653G3165 40When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him,G1161G2424G2476G2753G846G71G4314G846G1161G846G1448G1905G846 41"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he said, "I want to see!"G3004G5101G2309G4160G4671G1161G2036G2962G2443G308 42And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you."G2532G2424G2036G846G308G4675G4102G4982G4571 43Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.G2532G3916G308G2532G190G846G1392G2316G2532G3956G2992G1492G1325G136G2316
19Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.G2532G1525G1330G2410 2There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.G2532G2400G435G3686G2564G2195G2532G846G2258G754G2532G3778G2258G4145 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.G2532G2212G1492G2424G5101G2076G2532G1410G3756G575G3793G3754G2258G3398G2244 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.G2532G4390G1715G305G1909G4809G2443G1492G846G3754G3195G1330G1223G1565 5When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today."G2532G5613G2424G2064G1909G5117G308G1492G846G2532G2036G4314G846G2195G4692G2597G1063G4594G3165G1163G3306G1722G4675G3624 6Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.G2532G4692G2597G2532G5264G846G5463 7But the people were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.G2532G1492G1234G537G1234G3004G3754G1525G2647G3844G435G268 8Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"G1161G2195G2476G2036G4314G2962G2400G2962G2255G3450G5224G1325G4434G2532G1536G4811G1536G5100G4811G591G5073 9Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.G1161G2424G2036G4314G846G3754G4594G1096G4991G1096G5129G3624G2530G846G2532G2076G5207G11 10For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."G1063G5207G444G2064G2212G2532G4982G622 11The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.G1161G846G191G5023G4369G2036G3850G1223G846G1511G1451G2419G2532G846G1380G3754G932G2316G3195G3916G398 12He said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.G2036G3767G5100G444G2104G4198G1519G3117G5561G2983G1438G932G2532G5290 13Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, 'Invest this for me while I am gone.'G1161G2564G1438G1176G1401G1325G846G1176G3414G2532G2036G4314G846G4231G2193G2064 14But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We do not want him to be our king.'G1161G846G4177G3404G846G2532G649G4242G3694G846G3004G2309G3756G2309G5126G936G1909G2248 15"After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were.G2532G1096G1722G846G1880G2983G932G2532G2036G5128G1401G5455G846G3739G1325G694G2443G1097G5101G5101G1281 16The first servant reported, 'Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!'G1161G3854G4413G3004G2962G4675G3414G4333G1176G3414 17"'Well done!' the king exclaimed. 'You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'G2532G2036G846G2095G18G1401G3754G1096G4103G1722G1646G2192G2468G1849G1883G1176G4172 18"The next servant reported, 'Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.'G2532G1208G2064G3004G2962G4675G3414G4160G4002G3414 19"'Well done!' the king said. 'You will be governor over five cities.'G1161G2036G2532G5129G1096G4771G2532G1883G4002G4172 20"But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, 'Master, I hid your money and kept it safe.G2532G2087G2064G3004G2962G2400G4675G3414G3739G2192G606G1722G4676 21I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'G1063G5399G4571G3754G1488G840G444G142G3739G5087G3756G5087G2532G2325G3739G4687G3756G4687 22"'You wicked servant!' the king roared. 'Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I'm a hard man who takes what isn't mine and harvests crops I didn't plant,G1161G3004G846G1537G4675G4750G2919G4571G4190G1401G1492G3754G1473G1510G840G444G142G3739G5087G3756G5087G2532G2325G3739G4687G3756G4687 23why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.'G1302G2532G1325G3756G1325G3450G694G1909G5132G2532G2064G1473G302G4238G846G4862G5110 24"Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.'G2532G2036G3936G142G575G846G3414G2532G1325G2192G1176G3414 25"'But, master,' they said, 'he already has ten pounds!'G2532G2036G846G2962G2192G1176G3414 26"'Yes,' the king replied, 'and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.G1063G3004G5213G3754G3956G3588G2192G1325G1161G575G2192G3361G2532G3739G2192G142G575G846 27And as for these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.'"G4133G1565G3450G2190G3588G2309G3361G3165G936G1909G846G71G5602G2532G2695G1715G3450 28After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.G2532G5023G2036G4198G1715G305G1519G2414 29As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead.G2532G1096G5613G1448G1519G967G2532G963G4314G3735G2564G1636G649G1417G846G3101 30"Go into that village over there," he told them. "As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.G2036G5217G1519G2968G2713G1722G3739G1531G2147G4454G1210G1909G3739G3762G444G2523G4455G3089G846G71 31If anyone asks, 'Why are you untying that colt?' just say, 'The Lord needs it.'"G2532G1437G5100G2065G5209G1302G3089G3779G2046G846G3754G2962G2192G5532G846 32So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.G1161G649G565G2147G2531G2036G846 33And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, "Why are you untying that colt?"G1161G846G3089G4454G2962G846G2036G4314G846G5101G3089G4454 34And the disciples simply replied, "The Lord needs it."G1161G2036G2962G2192G5532G846 35So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.G2532G71G846G4314G2424G2532G1977G1438G2440G1909G1977G4454G1977G1913G2424G1913 36As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.G1161G846G4198G5291G846G2440G1722G3598 37When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.G846G1448G1161G2235G4314G2600G3735G1636G537G4128G3101G756G5463G134G2316G3173G5456G4012G3956G1411G3739G1492 38"Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!"G3004G2127G935G2064G1722G3686G2962G1515G1722G3772G2532G1391G1722G5310 39But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, "Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!"G2532G5100G5330G575G3793G2036G4314G846G1320G2008G4675G3101 40He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"G2532G611G2036G846G3004G5213G3754G1437G3778G4623G3037G2896 41But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.G2532G5613G1448G1492G4172G2799G1909G846 42"How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.G3004G3754G1487G1097G2532G4771G2534G1722G5026G4675G2250G3588G4314G4675G1515G1161G3568G2928G575G4675G3788 43Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.G3754G2250G2240G1909G4571G2532G4675G2190G4016G5482G4016G4671G2532G4033G4571G4033G2532G4912G4571G4912G3840 44They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation."G2532G1474G4571G1474G2532G4675G5043G1722G4671G2532G863G3756G863G1722G4671G3037G1909G3037G473G3739G1097G3756G2540G4675G1984 45Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices.G2532G1525G1519G2411G756G1544G4453G1722G846G2532G59 46He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."G3004G846G1125G3450G3624G2076G3624G4335G1161G5210G4160G846G4693G3027 47After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.G2532G2258G1321G2596G2250G1722G2411G1161G749G2532G1122G2532G4413G2992G2212G622G846 48But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.G2532G2147G3756G2147G5101G4160G1063G537G2992G1582G191G846
Dublin, OH
returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"G3004
