Luke 18

Parable of a Pharisee and a publican

9 Then He told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised the rest: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and started praying to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like all the rest—robbers, unjust, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I tithe all that I get.’*This is the sort of ‘prayer’ that does not get past the ceiling, so he was just talking to himself. 13 The tax collector, staying a good ways off, did not even venture to look up to heaven, but started beating on his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I say to you that this one went back home justified rather than that one; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."