Luke 18:1–14 · BSB
18:1
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
18:2
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
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18:3
And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
18:4
For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,
18:5
yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”
18:6
And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge.
18:7
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?
18:8
I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
18:9
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
18:10
“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
18:11
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
18:12
I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
18:14
I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain. Sermons may quote another translation.