November 7

Luke 18:1 — 20:26
(words in gray are deemed interpolations)

18 Then he went on to tell them an illustration with regard to the need for them always to pray and not to give up, 2 saying: “In a certain city there was a certain judge that had no fear of God and had no respect for man. 3 But there was a widow in that city and she kept going to him, saying, ‘See that I get justice from my adversary at law.’ 4 Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect a man, 5 at any rate, because of this widow’s continually making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice, so that she will not keep coming and pummeling me to a finish.’” 6 Then the Lord said: “HEAR what the judge, although unrighteous, said! 7 Certainly, then, shall not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, even though he is long-suffering toward them? 8 I tell YOU, He will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find the faith on the earth?”

9 But he spoke this illustration also to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and who considered the rest as nothing: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ 13 But the tax collector standing at a distance was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward, but kept beating his breast, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me a sinner.’ 14 I tell YOU, This man went down to his home proved more righteous than that man; because everyone that exalts himself will be humiliated, but he that humbles himself will be exalted.”

15 Now people began to bring him also their infants for him to touch these; but on seeing it the disciples began to reprimand them. 16 However, Jesus called the [infants] to him, saying: “Let the young children come to me, and do not try to stop them. For the kingdom of God belongs to suchlike ones. 17 Truly I say to YOU, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a young child will by no means get into it.”

18 And a certain ruler questioned him, saying: “Good Teacher, by doing what shall I inherit everlasting life?” 19 Jesus said to him: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God. 20 You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 Then he said: “All these I have kept from youth on.” 22 After hearing that, Jesus said to him: “There is yet one thing lacking about you: Sell all the things you have and distribute to poor people, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.” 23 When he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich.

24 Jesus looked at him and said: “How difficult a thing it will be for those having money to make their way into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this said: “Who possibly can be saved?” 27 He said: “The things impossible with men are possible with God.” 28 But Peter said: “Look! We have left our own things and followed you.” 29 He said to them: “Truly I say to YOU, There 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 in any way get many times more in this period of time, and in the coming system of things everlasting life.”

31 Then he took the twelve aside and said to them: “Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things written by means of the prophets as to the Son of man will be completed. 32 For instance, he will be delivered up to [men of] the nations and will be made fun of and be treated insolently and spit upon; 33 and after scourging him they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise.” 34 However, they did not get the meaning of any of these things; but this utterance was hidden from them, and they were not knowing the things said.

35 Now as he was getting near to Jericho a certain blind man was sitting beside the road begging. 36 Because he heard a crowd moving through he began to inquire what this might mean. 37 They reported to him: “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by!” 38 At that he cried out, saying: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those going in advance began to tell him sternly to keep quiet, but that much more he kept shouting: “Son of David, have mercy on me.” 40 Then Jesus stood still and commanded the [man] to be led to him. After he got near, [Jesus] asked him: 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said: “Lord, let me recover sight.” 42 So Jesus said to him: “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And instantly he recovered sight, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. Also, all the people, at seeing [it], gave praise to God.


19 And he entered Jericho and was going through. 2 Now here there was a man called by the name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 Well, he was seeking to see who this Jesus was, but he could not for the crowd, because he was small in size. 4 So he ran ahead to an advance position and climbed a fig-mulberry tree in order to see him, because he was about to go through that way. 5 Now when Jesus got to the place, he looked up and said to him: “Zacchaeus, hurry and get down, for today I must stay in your house.” 6 With that he hurried and got down and with rejoicing he received him as guest. 7 But when they saw [it], they all fell to muttering, saying: “With a man that is a sinner he went in to lodge.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord: “Look! The half of my belongings, Lord, I am giving to the poor, and whatever I extorted from anyone by false accusation I am restoring fourfold.” 9 At this Jesus said to him: “This day salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

11 While they were listening to these things he spoke in addition an illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly. 12 Therefore he said: “A certain man of noble birth traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power for himself and to return. 13 Calling ten slaves of his he gave them ten minas and told them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent out a body of ambassadors after him, to say, ‘We do not want this [man] to become king over us.’

15 “Eventually when he got back after having secured the kingly power, he commanded to be called to him these slaves to whom he had given the silver money, in order to ascertain what they had gained by business activity. 16 Then the first one presented himself, saying, ‘Lord, your mina gained ten minas.’ 17 So he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because in a very small matter you have proved yourself faithful, hold authority over ten cities.’ 18 Now the second came, saying, ‘Your mina, Lord, made five minas.’ 19 He said to this one also, ‘You, too, be in charge of five cities.’ 20 But a different one came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, that I kept laid away in a cloth. 21 You see, I was in fear of you, because you are a harsh man; you take up what you did not deposit and you reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I judge you, wicked slave. You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking up what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Hence why is it you did not put my silver money in a bank? Then on my arrival I would have collected it with interest.’

24 “With that he said to those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to him that has the ten minas.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’— 26 ‘I say to YOU, To everyone that has, more will be given; but from the one that does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Moreover, these enemies of mine that did not want me to become king over them BRING here and slaughter them before me.’”

28 So, after he had said these things, he began to go on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And when he got near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Mount of Olives, he sent forth two of the disciples, 30 saying: “Go into the village that is within sight of YOU, and in it after YOU pass in YOU will find a colt tied, on which none of mankind ever sat. Loose it and bring it. 31 But if anyone asks YOU, ‘Why is it YOU are loosing it?’ YOU must speak in this way, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent forth departed and found it just as he said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt the owners of it said to them: “Why are YOU loosing the colt?” 34 They said: “The Lord needs it.” 35 And they led it to Jesus, and they threw their outer garments upon the colt and set Jesus upon [it].

36 As he moved along they kept spreading their outer garments on the road. 37 As soon as he got near the road down the Mount of Olives all the multitude of the disciples started to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice concerning all the powerful works they had seen, 38 saying: “Blessed is the One coming as the King in Jehovah’s name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest places!” 39 However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 But in reply he said: “I tell YOU, If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”

41 And when he got nearby, he viewed the city and wept over it, 42 saying: “If you, even you, had discerned in this day the things having to do with peace—but now they have been hid from your eyes. 43 Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification with pointed stakes and will encircle you and distress you from every side, 44 and they will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you, because you did not discern the time of your being inspected.”

45 And he entered into the temple and started to throw out those who were selling, 46 saying to them: “It is written, ‘And my house will be a house of prayer,’ but YOU made it a cave of robbers.”

47 Furthermore, he went teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal ones of the people were seeking to destroy him; 48 and yet they did not find the effective thing for them to do, for the people one and all kept hanging onto him to hear him.

20 On one of the days while he was teaching the people in the temple and declaring the good news, the chief priests and the scribes with the older men came near, 2 and they spoke up, saying to him: “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” 3 In reply he said to them: “I will also ask YOU a question, and YOU tell me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” 5 Then among themselves they drew conclusions, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why is it YOU did not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ the people one and all will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they replied that they did not know its source. 8 And Jesus said to them: “Neither am I telling YOU by what authority I do these things.”

9 Then he started to tell the people this illustration: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to cultivators, and he traveled abroad for considerable time. 10 But in due season he sent out a slave to the cultivators, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. The cultivators, however, sent him away empty, after beating him up. 11 But he repeated and sent them a different slave. That one also they beat up and dishonored and sent away empty. 12 Yet again he sent a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. 13 At this the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son the beloved. Likely they will respect this one.’ 14 When the cultivators caught sight of him they went reasoning with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.’ 15 With that they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy these cultivators and will give the vineyard to others.”

On hearing [this] they said: “Never may that happen!” 17 But he looked upon them and said: “What, then, does this that is written mean, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone’? 18 Everyone falling upon that stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him.”

19 The scribes and the chief priests now sought to get their hands on him in that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he spoke this illustration with them in mind. 20 And, after observing him closely, they sent out men secretly hired to pretend that they were righteous, in order that they might catch him in speech, so as to turn him over to the government and to the authority of the governor. 21 And they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, we know you speak and teach correctly and show no partiality, but you teach the way of God in line with truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay tax to Caesar or not?” 23 But he detected their cunning and said to them: 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said: “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them: “By all means, then, pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” 26 Well, they were not able to catch him in this saying before the people, but, in amazement at his answer, they said nothing.