The Story of the Widow Who Would Not Give Up
1Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said, “In a certain town there was a judge. He didn’t have any respect for God or care about what people thought. 3A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, ‘Make things right for me. Someone is treating me badly.’
4“For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t have any respect for God. I don’t care about what people think. 5But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don’t, she will someday come and attack me!’ ”
6The Lord said, “Listen to what the unfair judge says. 7God’s chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won’t he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?”
The Story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everyone else. 10He said to them, “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed. ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people,’ he said. ‘I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all I get.’
13“But the tax collector stood farther away than the Pharisee. He would not even look up to heaven. He brought his hand to his heart and prayed. He said, ‘God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.’
14“I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. All those who lift themselves up will be made humble. And those who make themselves humble will be lifted up.”
Little Children Are Brought to Jesus
15People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the babies. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop. 16But Jesus asked the children to come to him. “Let the little children come to me,” he said. “Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. 17What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”
Rich People and the Kingdom of God
18A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. “Good teacher,” he said, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God. 20You know what the commandments say. ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Honor your father and mother.’ ” (Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20)
21“I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy,” the ruler said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
23When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich. 24Jesus looked at him. Then he said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!”
26Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”
27Jesus replied, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
28Peter said to him, “We have left everything we had in order to follow you!”
29“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said to them. “Has anyone left home or wife or husband or brothers or sisters or parents or children for God’s kingdom? 30They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will receive eternal life.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death
31Jesus took the 12 disciples to one side. He told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. 33They will whip him and kill him. On the third day, he will rise from the dead!”
34The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn’t know what Jesus was talking about.
A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight
35Jesus was approaching Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. 36The blind man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was happening. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38So the blind man called out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
39Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus spoke to him. 41“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Lord, I want to be able to see,” the blind man replied.
42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.” 43Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Olugero lwa Nnamwandu n’Omulamuzi
118:1 Is 40:31; Luk 11:5-8; Bik 1:14; Bar 12:12; Bef 6:18; Bak 4:2; 1Bs 5:17Awo Yesu n’agerera abayigirizwa be olugero ng’agamba nga bwe bagwanidde obutakoowanga kusaba n’obutaggwaamu mwoyo, ng’agamba nti, 2“Waaliwo omulamuzi mu kibuga ekimu, nga tatya Katonda era nga tafa ku muntu yenna. 318:3 Is 1:17Mu kibuga ekyo mwalimu nnamwandu eyajjanga ew’omulamuzi oyo buli lunaku ng’amwegayirira nti, ‘Nnamula n’omulabe wange.’
4“Omulamuzi n’amala ebbanga ng’akyagaanyi. Naye oluvannyuma n’agamba mu mutima gwe nti, ‘Newaakubadde nga sitya Katonda era nga sirina muntu gwe nzisaamu kitiibwa, 518:5 Luk 11:8naye olwokubanga nnamwandu ono aneetayiridde nnyo, nzijja kumumalira ensonga ze, kubanga ajja kunkooya olw’okuneetayirira ng’ajja gye ndi buli lunaku!’ ”
618:6 Luk 7:13Awo Mukama waffe n’agamba nti, “Muwulire omulamuzi atali wa mazima bw’agamba. 718:7 Kuv 22:23; Zab 88:1Kale Katonda talisingawo nnyo kulamula abantu be, be yeerondera, abamukaabirira emisana n’ekiro ate ng’abagumiikiriza? 818:8 a Mat 8:20 b Mat 16:27Mbagamba nti agenda kubalamula mangu. Naye Omwana w’Omuntu, bw’alijja, alisanga okukkiriza ku nsi?”
918:9 a Luk 16:15 b Is 65:5Awo Yesu n’agerera olugero luno abo abeerowooza nga batuukirivu nga banyoomoola n’abantu abalala, n’agamba nti, 1018:10 Bik 3:1“Abantu babiri baayambuka mu Yeekaalu okusaba, omu yali Mufalisaayo n’omulala nga muwooza. 1118:11 Mat 6:5; Mak 11:25Omufalisaayo n’ayimirira n’atandika okusaba nga yeeyogerako nti, ‘Nkwebaza, Katonda, kubanga sifaanana ng’abantu abalala: ab’omululu, abalyazaamaanyi, abenzi, oba omuwooza ono. 1218:12 a Is 58:3; Mat 9:14 b Mal 3:8; Luk 11:42Nsiiba emirundi ebiri mu wiiki, era mpaayo eri Katonda, ekimu eky’ekkumi ku bintu byonna bye nfuna.’
1318:13 a Is 66:2; Yer 31:19; Luk 23:48 b Luk 5:32; 1Ti 1:15“Naye omuwooza n’ayimirira wala n’atasobola na kuyimusa maaso ge kutunula eri eggulu ng’asaba, wabula ne yeekuba mu kifuba ng’asaba nti, ‘Katonda, onsaasire, nze omwonoonyi.’
1418:14 Mat 23:12; Luk 14:11“Mbagamba nti omusajja ono, omuwooza ye yaddayo eka ng’asonyiyiddwa ebibi bye. Kubanga buli eyeegulumiza alitoowazibwa, n’oyo eyeetoowaza aligulumizibwa.”
Yesu n’Abaana Abato
15Lumu ne wabaawo abaaleetera Yesu abaana baabwe abato abakwateko abawe omukisa. Naye abayigirizwa bwe baakiraba ne bajunga abaabaleeta. 16Naye Yesu abaana n’abayita, n’agamba nti, “Muleke abaana abato bajje gye ndi, temubagaana, kubanga abali nga bano be b’obwakabaka bwa Katonda. 1718:17 Mat 11:25; 18:3Ddala ddala mbagamba nti atayaniriza bwakabaka bwa Katonda ng’omwana omuto, talibuyingiramu n’akatono.”
Omukungu Omugagga
1818:18 Luk 10:25Awo omu ku bakulembeze b’Abayudaaya n’abuuza Yesu nti, “Omuyigiriza omulungi, nkole ki okufuna obulamu obutaggwaawo?” 19Yesu n’amuddamu nti, “Lwaki ompita omulungi? Tewali mulungi n’omu wabula Katonda yekka. 2018:20 Kuv 20:12-16; Ma 5:16-20; Bar 13:9Amateeka ogamanyi nti, ‘Toyendanga, tottanga, tobbanga, tolimbanga, kitaawo ne nnyoko obassangamu ekitiibwa.’ ”
21N’amuddamu nti, “Amateeka ago gonna ngagondedde ebbanga lyonna okuva mu buto bwange.”
2218:22 a Bik 2:45 b Mat 6:20Yesu bwe yawulira ebyo, n’amugamba nti, “Okyabulako ekintu kimu. Genda otunde ebibyo byonna, ensimbi z’onoggyamu ozigabire abaavu, olibeera n’obugagga mu ggulu, olyoke ojje ongoberere.”
23Naye bwe yawulira ebigambo ebyo n’agenda ng’anakuwadde nnyo, kubanga yali mugagga nnyo. 2418:24 Nge 11:28Yesu bwe yamulaba ng’anakuwadde nnyo, n’ayogera nti, “Nga kizibu omugagga okuyingira mu bwakabaka bwa Katonda! 25Kyangu eŋŋamira okuyita mu nnyindo y’empiso okusinga omugagga okuyingira mu bwakabaka bwa Katonda.”
26Abo abaawulira ebyo kwe kubuuza nti, “Kale ani ayinza okulokolebwa?”
2718:27 Mat 19:26Yesu n’addamu nti, “Ebitayinzika eri abantu, biyinzika eri Katonda.”
2818:28 Mat 4:19Peetero n’amugamba nti, “Ffe twalekawo ebyaffe byonna ne tukugoberera!”
29Yesu n’addamu nti, “Ddala ddala mbagamba nti teri muntu n’omu eyalekawo amaka ge, oba omukazi we, oba baganda be, oba abazadde be, oba abaana be, olw’obwakabaka bwa Katonda, 3018:30 a Mat 12:32 b Mat 25:46atalifuna mirundi mingi n’okusingawo mu mulembe guno, ate ne mu mulembe ogugenda okujja aweebwe obulamu obutaggwaawo.”
Yesu Ayongera Okwogera ku Kufa kwe
3118:31 a Luk 9:51 b Zab 22; Is 53 c Mat 8:20Awo Yesu n’azza ku bbali ekkumi n’ababiri, n’abagamba nti, “Laba, twambuka e Yerusaalemi, era bwe tunaatuuka eyo, byonna bannabbi bye bawandiika ku Mwana w’Omuntu, bijja kutuukirizibwa. 3218:32 Luk 23:1Ajja kuweebwayo eri Abamawanga okukudaalirwa n’okuvumibwa. Balimuduulira, ne bamubonyaabonya, ne bamuwandira amalusu, 3318:33 a Mat 16:21 b Bik 2:23 c Mat 16:21 d Mat 16:21balimukuba era ne bamutta. Ne ku lunaku olwokusatu alizuukira.”
3418:34 Mak 9:32; Luk 9:45Naye abayigirizwa be tebaategeera ky’agamba, amakulu gaakyo gaali gabakwekeddwa, ne batategeera bye yayogera.
Yesu Awonya Omuzibe w’Amaaso Omusabiriza
3518:35 Luk 19:1Awo Yesu bwe yali ng’asemberera Yeriko, ne wabaawo omusajja omuzibe w’amaaso eyali atudde ku kkubo ng’asabiriza. 36Awo omusajja oyo bwe yawulira ng’ekibiina ky’abantu bayitawo, n’abuuza nti, “Kiki ekyo?” 3718:37 Luk 19:4Ne bamuddamu nti, “Yesu Omunnazaaleesi ye ayitawo.”
3818:38 a nny 39; Mat 9:27 b Mat 17:15; nny 13Omuzibe w’amaaso n’akoowoola nti, “Yesu, Omwana wa Dawudi, onsaasire!” 3918:39 nny 38Abo abaali bakulembeddemu ne bamuboggolera asirike, kyokka ye ne yeeyongera bweyongezi okuleekaana nti, “Omwana wa Dawudi, onsaasire!”
40Awo Yesu n’ayimirira, n’alagira, omusajja bamumuleetere. Bwe yasembera, Yesu n’amubuuza nti, 41“Kiki ky’oyagala nkukolere?” Omusajja n’addamu nti, “Mukama wange, njagala nziremu okulaba!” 4218:42 Mat 9:22Yesu n’amugamba nti, “Ddamu okulaba. Okukkirizakwo kukuwonyezza.” 4318:43 Mat 9:8; Luk 13:17Amangwago n’addamu okulaba, n’agoberera Yesu ng’atendereza Katonda. Bonna abaakiraba ne batendereza Katonda.
