Luke 18:1-14 ▼

1 And he spoke also a parable to them to the purport that they should always pray and not faint,

2 saying, There was a judge in a city, not fearing God and not respecting man:

3 and there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adverse party.

4 And he would not for a time; but afterwards he said within himself, If even I fear not God and respect not man,

5 at any rate because this widow annoys me I will avenge her, that she may not by perpetually coming completely harass me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says.

7 And shall not God at all avenge his elect, who cry to him day and night, and he bears long as to them?

8 I say unto you that he will avenge them speedily. But when the Son of man comes, shall he indeed find faith on the earth?

9 And he spoke also to some, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and made nothing of all the rest [of men], this parable:

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.

11 The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer.

12 I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.

13 And the tax-gatherer, standing afar off, would not lift up even his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, O God, have compassion on me, the sinner.

14 I say unto you, This [man] went down to his house justified rather than that [other]. For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.