In that same town there was a woman. Her husband was dead. The woman came many times to this judge and said, 'There is a man that is doing bad things to me. Give me my rights!'
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.
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!'"
There were some people that thought that they were very good. These people acted like they were better than other people. Jesus used this story to teach them:
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 that steal, cheat, or do the sin of adultery. F286 I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.
"The tax collector F288 stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. The tax collector felt very humble before God. He said, 'O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!'
I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, F289 who felt that he was better than other people, was not right with God. Every person that makes himself important will be made humble. But the person that makes himself humble will be made important."
Some people brought their small children to Jesus so that Jesus could touch them. But when the followers saw this, they told the people not to do this.
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 the kingdom of God belongs to people that are like these little children.
{But I will answer your question.} You know {God's} commands: 'You must not do the sin of adultery, F290 you must not murder anyone, you must not steal anything, you must not tell lies about other people, you must honor (respect) your father and mother….' F291 "
When Jesus heard this, he said to the leader, "But there is still one more thing you need to do. Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor people. You will have a reward in heaven. Then come and follow me!"
Then Jesus talked to the twelve apostles F292 alone. Jesus said to them, "Listen! We are going to Jerusalem. Everything that God told the prophets F293 to write about the Son of Man F294 will happen!
The people that were in front, leading the group, criticized the blind man. They told him not to speak. But the blind man shouted more and more, "Son of David, please help me!"
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