Luke 18
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Luke chapter 18 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
2 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine.
Luke 18
1Then He spoke a parable to them, that one must always pray and not lose heart,Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ μὴ ἐκκακεῖν,
2saying: “A certain judge was in a certain city, who did not fear God nor have regard for men.λέγων, Κριτής τις ἦν ἔν τινι πόλει, τὸν Θεὸν μὴ φοβούμενος, καὶ ἄνθρωπον μὴ ἐντρεπόμενος·
3Now there was a widow in that city; and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give justice to me against my adversary.’χήρα δὲ ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτόν, λέγουσα, Ἐκδίκησόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μου.
4And he did not want to for a time; but afterward he said within himself, ‘although I do not fear God, nor have regard for man,Καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐπὶ χρόνον· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Εἰ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν οὐ φοβοῦμαι, καὶ ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἐντρέπομαι·
5yet because this widow bothers me I will give justice to her, lest she wear me out by forever coming to me.’ ”διά γε τὸ παρέχειν μοι κόπον τὴν χήραν ταύτην, ἐκδικήσω αὐτήν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος ἐρχομένη ὑποπιάζῃ με.
6Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.Εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος, Ἀκούσατε τί ὁ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας λέγει.
7And God, shall He not execute justice for His own elect, who cry out day and night to Him, and yet He is patient with them?Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν βοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, καὶ μακροθυμῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς;
8I tell you that He will execute justice for them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”Λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ποιήσει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν αὐτῶν ἐν τάχει. Πλὴν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐλθὼν ἆρα εὑρήσει τὴν πίστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;
9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised the others:Εἶπε δὲ πρός τινας τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι εἰσὶ δίκαιοι, καὶ ἐξουθενοῦντας τοὺς λοιπούς, τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην·
10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι· ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος, καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης.
11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.Ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο, Ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης.
12I fast twice a week, I tithe on all things, as many as I acquire.’Νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι.
13And the tax collector, standing far away, would not so much as lift his eyes towards heaven, but beat on his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’Καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ, λέγων, Ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.
14I say to you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”Λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος· ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.
15And they were bringing infants to Him, that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.Προσέφερον δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ βρέφη, ἵνα αὐτῶν ἅπτηται· ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἐπετίμησαν αὐτοῖς.
16But Jesus, summoning them, said, “Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὰ εἶπεν, Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός με, καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ.
17Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter into it.”Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὃς ἐὰν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτήν.
18Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”Καὶ ἐπηρώτησέ τις αὐτὸν ἄρχων, λέγων, Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;
19So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One, that is, God.Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; Οὐδεὶς ἀγαθός, εἰ μὴ εἷς, ὁ Θεός.
20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”Τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας, Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, Μὴ φονεύσῃς, Μὴ κλέψῃς, Μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου.
21And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”Ὁ δὲ εἶπε, Ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου.
22So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “Still one thing you lack: sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον, καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ· καὶ δεῦρο, ἀκολούθει μοι.
23But when he heard this, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγένετο· ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα.
24And when Jesus saw that he became very sad, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς περίλυπον γενόμενον εἶπε, Πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Εὐκοπώτερον γάρ ἐστι κάμηλον διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος εἰσελθεῖν, ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν.
26And those who heard it said, “Who then is able to be saved?”Εἶπον δὲ οἱ ἀκούσαντες, Καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι;
27But He said, “These things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”Ὁ δὲ εἶπε, Τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατά ἐστι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.
28Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”Εἶπε δὲ Πέτρος, Ἰδού, ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν πάντα καὶ ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι.
29So He said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδείς ἐστιν ὃς ἀφῆκεν οἰκίαν, ἢ γονεῖς, ἢ ἀδελφούς, ἢ γυναῖκα, ἢ τέκνα, ἕνεκεν τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ,
30who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”ὃς οὐ μὴ ἀπολάβῃ πολλαπλασίονα ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ, καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
31Then taking the twelve aside, He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.Παραλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς δώδεκα, εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Ἰδού, ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ τελεσθήσεται πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
32For He will be betrayed to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon,Παραδοθήσεται γὰρ τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἐμπαιχθήσεται, καὶ ὑβρισθήσεται, καὶ ἐμπτυσθήσεται,
33and having scourged Him, they will kill Him. And on the third day He will rise again.”καὶ μαστιγώσαντες ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν· καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστήσεται.
34But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know what was being said.Καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐδὲν τούτων συνῆκαν, καὶ ἦν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο κεκρυμμένον ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον τὰ λεγόμενα.
35Now it came to pass, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat alongside the road begging.Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεριχώ, τυφλός τις ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν προσαιτῶν·
36And hearing a crowd traveling through the city, he asked what this was.ἀκούσας δὲ ὄχλου διαπορευομένου, ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη τοῦτο.
37And they reported to him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by.Ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος παρέρχεται.
38And he shouted, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”Καὶ ἐβόησε, λέγων, Ἰησοῦ, υἱὲ Δαυίδ, ἐλέησόν με.
39Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!”Καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν, Υἱὲ Δαυίδ, ἐλέησόν με.
40And having stopped, Jesus commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he drew near, He asked him,Σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτόν,
41saying, “What do you desire that I should do for you?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”λέγων, Τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε, Κύριε, ἵνα ἀναβλέψω.
42Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”Καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἀνάβλεψον· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε.
43And immediately he received his sight, and was following Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God.Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνέβλεψε, καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ, δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἰδὼν ἔδωκεν αἶνον τῷ Θεῷ.
The Fathers on Luke 18
Saint Augustine comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Luke 18:1Saint AugustineThe lesson of the Holy Gospel builds us up unto the duty of praying and believing, and of not putting our trust in ourselves, but in the Lord.
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On Luke 18:27Open Luke 18 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds in the following strain: “Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ.
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →