The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Jesus told his followers a story to teach them that they should always pray and never give up hope. "There was once a judge in a town who didn't care about God and had no respect for people. In that same town lived a widow who kept coming to this judge, begging him: 'Please give me justice against the person who has wronged me.' For a long time, the judge refused to help her. But eventually he said to himself, 'I don't fear God, and I don't care what people think of me. But this widow won't stop bothering me. I'm going to give her the justice she wants, or she'll keep coming back and wearing me out with her constant demands.'" Then Jesus said, "Pay attention to what this corrupt judge said. If even an unfair judge will eventually give justice to someone who keeps asking, won't God certainly bring justice for his chosen people who call out to him day and night? Will he keep putting off their help? I promise you, he will quickly give them justice. But when the Son of Man returns, will he find people on earth who still have faith?"
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Jesus told this story to people who were confident in their own goodness and looked down on everyone else. "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, a religious leader. The other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart from everyone else and prayed like this: 'God, I thank you that I'm not like other people who cheat, do evil things, or commit adultery. I'm especially glad I'm not like that tax collector over there. I go without food twice every week to focus on prayer, and I give you a tenth of everything I earn.' Meanwhile, the tax collector stood far away from the others. He wouldn't even look up toward heaven. Instead, he pounded his chest with his fist and said, 'God, please have mercy on me. I'm a sinner.' I'm telling you, this tax collector went home right with God, but the Pharisee did not. Everyone who lifts himself up will be brought down, but anyone who brings himself down will be lifted up."
Jesus Blesses the Little Children
People started bringing their babies to Jesus, hoping he would touch them and bless them. When the disciples saw what was happening, they scolded the people and tried to send them away. But Jesus called the children over to him. "Let the little children come to me," he said. "Don't try to stop them. The kingdom of God belongs to people just like these children." Then Jesus looked at everyone gathered there and spoke with complete certainty: "I'm telling you the truth—anyone who doesn't receive God's kingdom the same way a little child does will never be able to enter it."
The Rich Young Ruler
A wealthy leader came to Jesus and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? Only God is truly good. You know the commandments: don't commit adultery, don't murder, don't steal, don't lie about others, and honor your father and mother." The man replied, "I have obeyed all these commands since I was young." When Jesus heard this, he said, "There is still one thing you need to do. Sell everything you own and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. After that, come and follow me." But when the ruler heard these words, he became deeply sad because he was very wealthy. Jesus saw how sad the man became and said, "How difficult it is for rich people to enter God's kingdom! It would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom." The people listening to this asked, "Then who can possibly be saved?" Jesus replied, "Things that are impossible for people are possible with God." Peter said, "Look, we have left everything we had to follow you." Jesus told them, "I promise you this: anyone who has left behind their home, wife, brothers, parents, or children for the sake of God's kingdom will receive much more in return during this life, and in the life to come, they will receive eternal life."
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
Jesus pulled the twelve disciples away from the crowd to speak with them privately. "Listen carefully," he told them. "We are traveling to Jerusalem, and when we get there, everything the ancient prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. I will be handed over to people who are not Jews, and they will make fun of me and treat me terribly. They will spit on me, whip me with a heavy whip, and then kill me. But three days after I die, I will come back to life." The disciples heard every word Jesus said, but they couldn't grasp what he meant. The true meaning of his words was completely hidden from their understanding, and they had no idea what he was talking about.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho
As Jesus was approaching the city of Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the side of the road, begging for money. When the man heard a crowd of people walking past, he asked what was going on. The people told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is coming this way." When the blind man heard this, he shouted out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The people at the front of the crowd scolded him and told him to be quiet, but this only made him call out even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped walking and told his followers to bring the man over to him. When they brought the blind man close, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The man replied, "Lord, I want to be able to see again." Jesus said to him, "You can see! Your faith has made you well." Right away, the man's sight came back to him. He began following Jesus, praising God for what had happened. When all the people saw this miracle, they also started praising God.