Luke 18

18:1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,

 

18:2 saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who didn't fear God, and didn't respect man.

 

18:3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!'

 

18:4 He wouldn't for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,

 

18:5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

 

18:6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

 

18:7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

 

18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

 

18:9 He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

 

18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.

 

18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

 

18:12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'

 

18:13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'

 

18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

18:15 They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

 

18:16 Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and don't hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

 

18:17 Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."

 

18:18 A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

 

18:19 Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one--God.

 

18:20 You know the commandments: 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'

 

18:21 He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."

 

18:22 When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."

 

18:23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

 

18:24 Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!

 

18:25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

 

18:26 Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"

 

18:27 But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

 

18:28 Peter said, "Look, we have left everything, and followed you."

 

18:29 He said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake,

 

18:30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."

 

18:31 He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

 

18:32 For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

 

18:33 They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again."

 

18:34 They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn't understand the things that were said.

 

18:35 It happened, as he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.

 

18:36 Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.

 

18:37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

 

18:38 He cried out, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!"

 

18:39 Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"

 

18:40 Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,

 

18:41 "What do you want me to do?" He said, "Lord, that I may see again."

 

18:42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

 

18:43 Immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.

 

Hebrews 5

5:1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

 

5:2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.

 

5:3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

 

5:4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

 

5:5 So also Christ didn't glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your father."

 

5:6 As he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."

 

5:7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,

 

5:8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

 

5:9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,

 

5:10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

 

5:11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

 

5:12 For when by reason of the time you ought to be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.

 

5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

 

5:14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

 

Hebrews 6

6:1 Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection--not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

 

6:2 of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

 

6:3 This will we do, if God permits.

 

6:4 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

 

6:5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,

 

6:6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

 

6:7 For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and brings forth a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

 

6:8 but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

 

6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

 

6:10 For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

 

6:11 We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

 

6:12 that you won't be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises.

 

6:13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

 

6:14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."

 

6:15 Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

 

6:16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

 

6:17 In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

 

6:18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

 

6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

6:20 where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.