7. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?
8. I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
9. He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
10. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
11. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector.
12. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
13. But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
14. I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15. People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
16. Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
17. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
18. An official asked him this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19. Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.