Focused Passage

Luke 18:9-14

Persistent Faith, Humble Mercy, and the King on the Road to Jerusalem

Jesus teaches disciples to persist in prayer, contrasts self-righteousness with humble mercy-seeking, welcomes childlike kingdom receivers, exposes wealth as a rival master, foretells his suffering and resurrection, and gives sight to a blind beggar who recognizes him as Son of David.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’

14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction To πρός G4314 Preposition some τινας G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural who τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural trusted πεποιθότας G3982 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural in ἐφ’ G1909 Preposition their own ἑαυτοῖς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural . . . ὅτι G3754 Conjunction . . . εἰσὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural righteousness δίκαιοι G1342 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction viewed ἐξουθενοῦντας G1848 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural others {with contempt} λοιποὺς G3062 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction He also told Εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular this ταύτην G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular parable παραβολὴν G3850 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 10

Original words

Two δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural men Ἄνθρωποι G444 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural went up ἀνέβησαν G305 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular temple ἱερὸν G2411 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular to pray προσεύξασθαι G4336 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular One [was] εἷς G1520 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular a Pharisee Φαρισαῖος G5330 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular other ἕτερος G2087 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular a tax collector τελώνης G5057 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

The G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Pharisee Φαρισαῖος G5330 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular stood σταθεὶς G2476 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular - ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural by «πρὸς G4314 Preposition himself ἑαυτὸν» G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular [and] prayed προσηύχετο G4336 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Vocative Masculine Singular God Θεός G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular I thank εὐχαριστῶ G2168 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular You σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction I am εἰμὶ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb like ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural other λοιποὶ G3062 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural men ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural swindlers ἅρπαγες G727 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural evildoers ἄδικοι G94 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural adulterers μοιχοί G3432 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural or G2228 Conjunction even καὶ G2532 Conjunction like ὡς G5613 Adverb this οὗτος G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular tax collector τελώνης G5057 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or stood and prayed to himself
Verse 12

Original words

I fast νηστεύω G3522 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular twice δὶς G1364 Adverb a τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular week σαββάτου G4521 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular [and] pay tithes ἀποδεκατῶ G586 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular of all that πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ὅσα G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural I acquire κτῶμαι G2932 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Verse 13

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular tax collector τελώνης G5057 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular stood ἑστὼς G2476 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular at a distance μακρόθεν G3113 Adverb vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb unwilling even ἤθελεν G2309 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . οὐδὲ G3761 Adverb to lift up ἐπᾶραι G1869 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active [his] τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural eyes ὀφθαλμοὺς G3788 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular heaven οὐρανόν G3772 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Instead ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction he beat ἔτυπτεν G5180 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular breast στῆθος G4738 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular [and] said λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Vocative Masculine Singular God Θεός G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular have mercy ἱλάσθητί G2433 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular on me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular a τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular sinner ἁμαρτωλῷ G268 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural this [man] οὗτος G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular rather than παρ’ G3844 Preposition [the Pharisee] ἐκεῖνον G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular went home κατέβη G2597 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition . . . αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular . . . τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . οἶκον G3624 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular justified δεδικαιωμένος G1344 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular For ὅτι G3754 Conjunction everyone πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular exalts ὑψῶν G5312 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular himself ἑαυτὸν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular will be humbled ταπεινωθήσεται G5013 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction the [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular humbles ταπεινῶν G5013 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular himself ἑαυτὸν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular will be exalted ὑψωθήσεται G5312 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.