4. But the judge did not want to help the woman. After a long time, the judge thought to himself, ‘I don’t care about God. And I don’t care about what people think.
5. But this woman is bothering me. If I give her what she wants, then she will leave me alone. But if I don’t give her what she wants, she will bother me until I am sick.’”
6. The Lord said, “Listen, there is meaning in what the bad judge said.
7. God’s people shout to him night and day, and he will always give them what is right. He will not be slow to answer them.
8. I tell you, God will help his people quickly. But when the Son of Man comes again, will he find people on earth who believe in him?”
9. There were some people who thought they were very good and looked down on everyone else. Jesus used this story to teach them:
10. “One time there was a Pharisee and a tax collector. One day they both went to the Temple to pray.
11. The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.
12. I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of everything I get!’
13. “The tax collector stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. He felt very humble before God. He said, ‘O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!’
14. I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, who felt that he was better than others, was not right with God. People who make themselves important will be made humble. But those who make themselves humble will be made important.”
15. Some people brought their small children to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them to bless them. But when the followers saw this, they told the people not to do this.
16. But Jesus called the little children to him and said to his followers, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these little children.
17. The truth is, you must accept God’s kingdom like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it.”
18. A religious leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”
19. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.
20. And you know his commands: ‘You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not tell lies about others, you must respect your father and mother ….’”
21. But the leader said, “I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy.”
22. When Jesus heard this, he said to the leader, “But there is still one thing you need to do. Sell everything you have and give the money to those who are poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
23. But when the man heard Jesus tell him to give away his money, he was sad. He didn’t want to do this, because he was very rich.
24. When Jesus saw that the man was sad, he said, “It will be very hard for rich people to enter God’s kingdom.