The Daily Audio Bible

Pray And Don’t Lose Heart: God Will Avenge His People

18 And He was speaking a parable to them with-regard-to^[a] it being necessary that they always be praying and not losing-heart, ² saying, “There was in a certain city a certain judge not fearing God and not having-regard-for^[b] the person. ³ And there was a widow in that city. And she was coming to him, saying, ‘Avenge^[c] me from my adversary’. ⁴ And he was not willing for a time. But after these things, he said within himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor have regard for the person, ⁵ yet because of this widow’s causing me trouble, I will avenge her— in order that she, while continually^[d] coming, may not be wearing me out’”. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen-to what the unrighteous judge is saying^[e]. ⁷ And shall not God execute vengeance^[f] for His chosen ones— the ones crying-out to Him by day and by night and He is being patient^[g] with them? ⁸ I say to you that He will execute vengeance for them quickly. However, the Son of Man having come, will He find faith^[h] on the earth?”

Two Men In Prayer: One Exalts Himself, The Other Begs For Mercy

⁹ And He also spoke this parable to some putting-confidence upon themselves that they were righteous, and treating the rest with contempt— ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, having stood^[i], was praying these things to^[j] himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not just-like the rest of the people— swindlers, unrighteous ones, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week. I give-a-tenth-of all that I get’. ¹³ But the tax collector, standing at-a-distance, was not willing even to lift-up his eyes to heaven, but was striking his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful^[k] to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴ I say to you, this one went-down^[l] to his house having been declared-righteous, rather-than that one. Because everyone exalting himself will be humbled, but the one humbling himself will be exalted”.

Permit The Children To Come, For of Such Is The Kingdom of God

¹⁵ And they were also^[m] bringing babies^[n] to Him in order that He might touch them. But having seen it, the disciples were rebuking them^[o]. ¹⁶ But Jesus summoned them^[p], saying, “Permit the children to be coming to Me, and do not be forbidding them. For the kingdom of God is of ^[q] such ones. ¹⁷ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter into it”.