Daily Text and Bible Reading: Friday, November 7 [Press play below]

Chapter 18

18.1 Then he went on to tell them an illustration about the need for them always to pray and not to give up,

18.2 saying: “In a certain city there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man.

18.3 There was also a widow in that city who kept going to him and saying, ‘See that I get justice from my legal opponent.’

18.4 Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect any man,

18.5 because this widow keeps making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice so that she will not keep coming and wearing me out with her demand.’”

18.6 Then the Lord said: “Hear what the judge, although unrighteous, said!

18.7 Certainly, then, will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, while he is patient toward them?

18.8 I tell you, he will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?”

18.9 He also told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousness and who considered others as nothing:

18.10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

18.11 The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

18.12 I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’

18.13 But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’

18.14 I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

18.15 Now people were also bringing him their infants for him to touch them, but on seeing this, the disciples began to reprimand them.

18.16 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 such ones.

18.17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.”

18.18 And one of the rulers questioned him, saying: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”

18.19 Jesus said to him: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good except one, God.

18.20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother.’”

18.21 Then he said: “All of these I have kept from youth on.”

18.22 After hearing that, Jesus said to him, “There is still one thing lacking about you: Sell all the things you have and distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.”

18.23 When he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich.

18.24 Jesus looked at him and said: “How difficult it will be for those having money to make their way into the Kingdom of God!

18.25 It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

18.26 Those who heard this said: “Who possibly can be saved?”

18.27 He said: “The things impossible with men are possible with God.”

18.28 But Peter said: “Look! We have left what was ours and followed you.”

18.29 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

18.30 who will not get many times more in this period of time, and in the coming system of things, everlasting life.”

18.31 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 about the Son of man will be accomplished.

18.32 For instance, he will be handed over to men of the nations and will be mocked and treated insolently and spat on.

18.33 And after scourging him, they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise.”

18.34 However, they did not get the meaning of any of these things, for these words were hidden from them, and they did not understand the things said.

18.35 Now as Jesus was getting near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

18.36 Because he heard a crowd passing by, he began to inquire what was going on.

18.37 They reported to him: “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by!”

18.38 At that he cried out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

18.39 And those who were in front began rebuking him, telling him to keep quiet, but all the more he kept shouting: “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

18.40 Then Jesus stopped and commanded that the man be brought to him. After he came near, Jesus asked him:

18.41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said: “Lord, let me recover my sight.”

18.42 So Jesus said to him: “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”

18.43 And instantly he recovered his sight, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. Also, at seeing it, all the people gave praise to God.

Chapter 19

19.1 He then entered Jericho and was passing through.

19.2 Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

19.3 Well, he was trying to see who this Jesus was, but he could not see because of the crowd, since he was short.

19.4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

19.5 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.”

19.6 With that he hurried down and joyfully welcomed him as a guest.

19.7 When they saw this, they were all muttering: “He went as a guest to the house of a man who is a sinner.”

19.8 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, I am restoring four times over.”

19.9 At this Jesus said to him: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.

19.10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

19.11 While they were listening to these things, he told another illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear instantly.

19.12 So he said: “A man of noble birth traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power for himself and to return.

19.13 Calling ten of his slaves, he gave them ten minas and told them, ‘Do business with these until I come.’

19.14 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.’

19.15 “When he eventually got back after having secured the kingly power, he summoned the slaves to whom he had given the money, in order to ascertain what they had gained by their business activity.

19.16 So the first one came forward and said, ‘Lord, your mina gained ten minas.’

19.17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because in a very small matter you have proved yourself faithful, hold authority over ten cities.’

19.18 Now the second came, saying, ‘Your mina, Lord, made five minas.’

19.19 He said to this one as well, ‘You too be in charge of five cities.’

19.20 But another one came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina that I kept hidden away in a cloth.

19.21 You see, I was in fear of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow.’

19.22 He said to him, ‘By your own words I judge you, wicked slave. You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

19.23 So why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my coming, I would have collected it with interest.’

19.24 “With that he said to those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’

19.25 But they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’—

19.26 ‘I say to you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

19.27 Moreover, bring these enemies of mine here who did not want me to become king over them and execute them in front of me.’”

19.28 After he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

19.29 And when he got near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples,

19.30 saying: “Go into the village that is within sight, and after you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no man has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.

19.31 But if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you must say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

19.32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had said to them.

19.33 But as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them: “Why are you untying the colt?”

19.34 They said: “The Lord needs it.”

19.35 And they led it to Jesus, and they threw their outer garments on the colt and seated Jesus on it.

19.36 As he moved along, they were spreading their outer garments on the road.

19.37 As soon as he got near the road down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with a loud voice because of all the powerful works they had seen,

19.38 saying: “Blessed is the one coming as the King in Jehovah’s name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the heights above!”

19.39 However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

19.40 But in reply he said: “I tell you, if these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”

19.41 And when he got nearby, he viewed the city and wept over it,

19.42 saying: “If you, even you, had discerned on this day the things having to do with peace—but now they have been hidden from your eyes.

19.43 Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification of pointed stakes and will encircle you and besiege you from every side.

19.44 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.”

19.45 Then he entered the temple and started to throw out those who were selling,

19.46 saying to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a cave of robbers.”

19.47 He continued teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal ones of the people were seeking to kill him;

19.48 but they did not find any way to do this, for the people one and all kept hanging on to him to hear him.