Luke 18:5-16

⁵yet, as this widow is so troublesome, I will grant her justice, to stop her from plaguing me with her endless visits.’”

⁶Then the Master added, “Listen to what this iniquitous judge says!

⁷And God — won't he see that his own people, who cry to him night and day, have justice done them — though he holds his hand?

⁸He will, I tell you, give them justice soon enough! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

⁹Another time, speaking to people who were satisfied that they were religious, and who regarded everyone else with scorn, Jesus told this parable —

¹⁰“Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax-gatherer.

¹¹The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way — ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — thieves, rogues, adulterers — or even like this tax-gatherer.

¹²I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.’

¹³Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even to raise his eyes to heaven, but he kept striking his breast and saying ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

¹⁴This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, while everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹⁵Some of the people were bringing even their babies to Jesus, for him to touch them; but, when the disciples saw it, they began to find fault with those who had brought them.

¹⁶Jesus, however, called the little children to him. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the kingdom of God belongs.