Psalm 46; Luke 18

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Psalm 46

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of athe Sons of Korah. According to bAlamoth.1 A Song.

God is our crefuge and strength,

a very dpresent2 help in etrouble.

Therefore we will not fear fthough the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into gthe heart of the sea,

though hits waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is ia river whose streams make glad jthe city of God,

the holy khabitation of the Most High.

lGod is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

mThe nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he nutters his voice, the earth omelts.

pThe Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

qCome, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

rHe makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he sbreaks the bow and shatters the spear;

the burns the chariots with fire.

10  uBe still, and know that I am God.

vI will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

11  pThe Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah


Luke 18

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought ralways to pray and not slose heart. He said, In a certain city there was a judge who tneither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Give me justice against my adversary. For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, uThough I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming. And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And vwill not God give justice to whis elect, xwho cry to him day and night? yzWill he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them aspeedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, bwill he find faith on earth?

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

He also told this parable to some cwho trusted din themselves that they were righteous, eand treated others with contempt: 10 Two men fwent up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, gstanding by himself, prayed1 hthus: God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 iI fast twice a week; jI give tithes of all that I get. 13 But the tax collector, gstanding far off, kwould not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but lbeat his breast, saying, God, mbe merciful to me, a sinner! 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For neveryone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Let the Children Come to Me

15 oNow they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they prebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, qLet the children come to me, and rdo not hinder them, qfor to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 sTruly, I say to you, whoever does not treceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

The Rich Ruler

18 uAnd a ruler asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to vinherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: wDo not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother. 21 And he said, xAll these I have kept from my youth. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, One thing you still lack. ySell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have ztreasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 23 aBut when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, bHow difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter cthe kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter cthe kingdom of God. 26 Those who heard it said, Then who can be saved? 27 But he said, dWhat is impossible with man is possible with God. 28 And Peter said, See, ewe have left our homes and followed you. 29 And he said to them, Truly, I say to you, fthere is no one who has left house or wife or brothers2 or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive gmany times more hin this time, and in ithe age to come eternal life.

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

31 jAnd taking the twelve, he said to them, See, kwe are going up to Jerusalem, and leverything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be mdelivered over to the Gentiles and will be nmocked and shamefully treated and ospit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on pthe third day he will rise. 34 qBut they understood none of these things. rThis saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

35 sAs he drew near to Jericho, ta blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, uJesus of Nazareth is passing by. 38 And he cried out, Jesus, vSon of David, have mercy on me! 39 And those who were in front wrebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me! 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 xWhat do you want me to do for you? He said, Lord, let me recover my sight. 42 And Jesus said to him, Recover your sight; yyour faith has zmade you well. 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, aglorifying God. And ball the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.