Luke 18 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The persistent widow and the unjust judge 18:1–8

vv. 1–5 — the parable: a widow against the judge who fears no one

And he was telling them a parableindependent — iterative imperfect — the teaching frame

to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart,purpose — πρὸς τό + infinitive — Luke states the parable's purpose before the story: the narrator's frame

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the story-frame

'There was in a certain city a judgecontent — the setting — an anonymous judge in an anonymous city

who did not fear Godparticipial — first negation — irreligious to the core

and did not regard man.participial — second negation — shameless; the portrait the judge will own verbatim (v. 4)

And there was a widow in that city,content — the petitioner — the OT type of the defenseless (Exod 22:22; Isa 1:17)

and she kept coming to him,content — iterative imperfect — the relentless coming

saying:participial — the speech-participle for her one plea

'Grant me justice against my adversary.'content — ἐκδικέω — the parable's keyword (vv. 5, 7, 8); one demand, endlessly repeated

And for a while he was unwilling;content — durative imperfect — the refusal stretched over time

but afterward he said to himself:content — the Lukan interior soliloquy (cf. 12:17; 15:17; 16:3) — the turn

'Even though I neither fear God nor regard man,conditional — εἰ καί concession — he owns the narrator's verdict of v. 2 word for word; leans on ἐκδικήσω

yet because this widow keeps causing me trouble,cause — διά γε + articular infinitive — naked self-interest, not justice; forward-leaning on ἐκδικήσω

I will grant her justice,content — the resolve — the future of the widow's own imperative

lest in the end she wear me out by her coming.'purpose — ὑπωπιάζω — literally 'give a black eye': the widow as relentless boxer

vv. 6–8 — the application: how much more God, and the closing question

And the Lord said:independent — the narrator's κύριος — Jesus himself draws the lesson

'Hearcontent — the summons to attend

what the unrighteous judge says.content — indirect question — 'judge of unrighteousness,' Hebraic genitive of quality

And will God not surely grant justice to his elect,content — the a fortiori — οὐ μή + subjunctive, the strongest assurance, cast as a question

who cry to him day and night?participial — substantivized participle — the elect as the praying widow, ceaseless by day and night

And will he delay long over them?content — the crux — μακροθυμεῖ laid as a second indicative question; construal and punctuation debated (see text note)

I tell you,content — the solemn assurance-formula

that he will grant them justice speedily.content — ἐν τάχει — soon, or suddenly when it comes; the delay is not indifference

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?'content — πλήν pivots from God's faithfulness to ours; ἆρα expects a doubtful answer — answered in this chapter by a blind beggar (v. 42)

The Pharisee and the tax collector 18:9–14

vv. 9–10 — the frame: the target audience and the two men

And he spoke also to someindependent — the audience diagnosed in advance — the second narrator-stated purpose-frame

who trusted in themselvesparticipial — perfect participle — settled self-confidence, misplaced onto the self

that they were righteouscontent — the content of the confidence — δίκαιοι claimed; contrast δεδικαιωμένος (v. 14)

and despised the rest,participial — the twin symptom — contempt for 'the rest' (the Pharisee's very word, v. 11)

this parable:phrase modifier — the postponed object of εἶπεν — the frame closes onto the story

'Two men went up into the templecontent — the story opens — 'going up' to the temple mount

to pray,purpose — purpose infinitive — one errand, two prayers

the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.phrase modifier — verbless apposition — paragon of piety and byword for sin

vv. 11–12 — the Pharisee's prayer: thanksgiving without petition

The Pharisee, standing, prayed these things to himself:content — πρὸς ἑαυτόν — 'by himself' (with standing) or 'to himself' (with praying)? the noted crux, kept audible both ways

'God, I thank youcontent — a thanksgiving with no petition — nothing asked, because nothing felt lacking

that I am not like the rest of men —content — gratitude by comparison — thanks defined by other men's sins

robbers, unrighteous, adulterers —phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the catalogue of the despised

or even like this tax collector.comparative — contemptuous deixis — οὗτος, 'this one,' standing within earshot

I fast twice a week;content — supererogation — the Law required one fast a year (the Day of Atonement)

I tithe all that I acquire.'content — tithing even on acquisitions — merit paraded as prayer

vv. 13–14 — the tax collector's plea and the verdict

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift his eyes to heaven,content — posture as theology — distance and downcast eyes, the Pharisee's stance reversed point by point

but kept beating his breast,content — iterative imperfect — the gesture of grief and contrition

saying:participial — the speech-participle

'God, be propitiated toward me, the sinner!'content — ἱλάσθητι — atonement language, prayed beside the sacrifices; the article owns the title: 'the sinner,' as if the only one

I tell you,content — Jesus resumes in his own voice — the verdict-formula

this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other;content — δεδικαιωμένος — perfect divine passive, declared righteous: the forensic verdict in narrative; παρ’ ἐκεῖνον, comparative παρά

for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,cause — the reversal maxim (cf. 14:11) — first arm

but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.'cause — the chiastic counter-arm — both futures divine passives: God does the humbling and the exalting

Letting the children come 18:15–17

And they were bringing even their infants to him,independent — iterative imperfect; βρέφη — Luke's heightening word: even nursing babies

that he might touch them;purpose — the blessing-touch sought

but the disciples, seeing it,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐπετίμων

kept rebuking them.independent — iterative imperfect — the misaimed rebuke (the same verb the crowd will aim at the beggar, v. 39)

But Jesus called them to him,independent — the correction — αὐτά, the infants themselves summoned

saying:participial — the speech-participle

'Let the children come to me,content — the permit-command

and do not hinder them,content — present prohibition — stop hindering

for to such belongs the kingdom of God.cause — the γάρ-ground — τῶν τοιούτων fronted: of such a kind, not these alone

Truly I say to you,content — the amen-formula — the solemn seal

whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a childrelative — conditional-relative protasis — δέξηται: the kingdom received, not achieved; leans on εἰσέλθῃ

will never enter it.'content — οὐ μή + subjunctive — the strongest denial: the only door is a child's empty hands

The rich ruler and the cost of the kingdom 18:18–30

vv. 18–23 — the ruler: one thing still lacking

And a certain ruler asked him,independent — only Luke makes him an ἄρχων — a ruler; the question-frame

saying:participial — the speech-participle

'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'content — τί ποιήσας — life assumed to be a doing; 'Good Teacher' becomes the hinge of the reply

And Jesus said to him:independent — the reply-frame

'Why do you call me good?content — the famous crux — the epithet pressed to its source, not disowned; the christological edge left open

No one is good except one — God.content — verbless maxim — εἷς ὁ θεός, the Shema's One

You know the commandments:content — the second table — the duties a neighbor can audit

Do not commit adultery,content — Exod 20:14 — the seventh; Luke's order puts it first (as LXX Deut 5)

Do not murder,content — Exod 20:13 — the sixth

Do not steal,content — Exod 20:15 — the eighth

Do not bear false witness,content — Exod 20:16 — the ninth

Honor your father and mother.'content — Exod 20:12 — the fifth, closing the recitation

And he said:independent — the reply-frame

'All these I have kept from my youth.'content — the sincere claim — measured by the outward letter, complete; about to be searched

And Jesus, hearing it,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν

said to him:independent — the demand-frame

'One thing you still lack:content — ἔτι ἕν — the single decisive deficit behind a kept second table: the first commandment

sell all that you havecontent — the divestment — πάντα fronted: all of it

and distribute to the poor,content — διάδος — distribute piecemeal, to the destitute

and you will have treasure in the heavens;content — the promise inside the command — wealth relocated, not annihilated

and come, follow me.'content — the goal — discipleship; what the beggar will do unbidden (v. 43)

But when he heard these things he became deeply grieved,independent — περίλυπος — grief all around; unlike Mark's rich man, Luke's ruler is not said to leave

for he was extremely rich.cause — the narrator's γάρ — the idol named at last

vv. 24–27 — the camel, the needle, and what God can do

And Jesus, seeing that he had become deeply grieved,participial — preposed circumstantial with participle of indirect discourse — leans on εἶπεν; ἰδὼν αὐτόν read by the best text (see text note)

said:independent — the comment-frame

'How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!content — exclamatory πῶς — the case become a principle, against the age's equation of wealth with blessing

For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needlecause — the hyperbole — largest beast, smallest aperture: impossibility, not mere difficulty; βελόνη, Luke's precise surgeon's needle

than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'comparative — the ἤ-member — elliptical second term of the comparison

And those who heard it said:independent — the objection-frame

'Then who can be saved?'content — consecutive καί — if not the blessed rich, then no one; the right question at last

But he said:independent — the resolution-frame

'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'content — παρά twice — two spheres of reckoning; salvation moved from human achievement to divine gift (Gen 18:14)

vv. 28–30 — Peter's 'we left our own,' and the manifold promise

And Peter said:independent — the spokesman ventures

'See, we have left our own things and followed you.'content — emphatic ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς — we, unlike the ruler; τὰ ἴδια, 'our own,' the reading here against the parallels' 'all' (see text note)

And he said to them:independent — the promise-frame

'Truly I say to you,content — the amen-formula

there is no onecontent — the sweeping negative awaiting its answering relative

who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,relative — the catalogue of leavings — Luke alone includes 'wife'; the motive-clause guards it: for the kingdom, not for asceticism

who will not by any means receive many times more in this time,relative — the answering relative — οὐχὶ μή: no leaver goes unrepaid; πολλαπλασίονα, 'manifold,' where the parallels read 'hundredfold' (see text note)

and in the age to come eternal life.'phrase modifier — the second gift — the ruler's opening question (v. 18) answered for the leavers

The third passion prediction 18:31–34

And taking the Twelve aside,participial — preposed circumstantial — private instruction; leans on εἶπεν

he said to them:independent — the prediction-frame — the third and fullest

'See, we are going up to Jerusalem,content — ἀναβαίνομεν — the ascent begun at 9:51 nears its goal

and everything written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.content — τελεσθήσεται — divine passive: the passion as fulfilment of all prophetic Scripture; τῷ υἱῷ, dative of reference

For he will be handed over to the Gentilescause — the γάρ unpacks 'everything written' — παραδοθήσεται, the passion's keyword; Luke alone names the Gentiles here

and will be mockedcause — fulfilled at 22:63; 23:11, 36

and shamefully treatedcause — ὑβρίζω — outrage, insolence heaped on him

and spit upon,cause — Isa 50:6 — the Servant's face not hidden from spitting

and after flogging him they will kill him,cause — the catena's darkest stroke — the Gentiles now the acting subject

and on the third day he will rise.'cause — the catena ends in resurrection — the third-day vindication 24:7 will quote back

And they understood none of these things;independent — the narrator's triple verdict begins — emphatic αὐτοί: the Twelve themselves

and this saying was hidden from them,independent — periphrastic perfect, divine passive — a veiling, not merely a dullness

and they did not grasp what was said.independent — the third stroke — the seeing who are blind, just before the blind man who sees (v. 41)

The blind man at Jericho 18:35–43

vv. 35–39 — the cry that will not be silenced

And it came to pass, as he was drawing near to Jericho,independent — Septuagintal ἐγένετο with ἐν τῷ + infinitive — Luke places the healing on the approach (Mark: on leaving)

that a certain blind man was sitting by the road,independent — asyndetic main clause inside the ἐγένετο-frame — παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, beside the way

begging.participial — manner participle — his livelihood and his station

And hearing a crowd passing through,participial — preposed circumstantial — the blind perceive by ear; leans on ἐπυνθάνετο

he kept inquiringindependent — iterative imperfect — question after question down the roadside

what this might be.content — indirect question with optative εἴη — Luke's classical literary touch

And they told him:independent — the report-frame

'Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.'content — recitative ὅτι — the crowd's label; the beggar will answer with a higher title

And he cried out,independent — ἐβόησεν — the elect 'crying out' of v. 7 embodied

saying:participial — the speech-participle

'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'content — the messianic title — the blind man sees what the Twelve could not (v. 34)

And those in front kept rebuking him,independent — iterative imperfect — the crowd as obstacle; ἐπιτιμάω again (v. 15)

that he should be silent;purpose — the content of the rebuke

but he kept crying out all the more:independent — emphatic αὐτός — opposition only raises the volume; the widow's persistence enacted

'Son of David, have mercy on me!'content — the cry unchanged, louder

vv. 40–43 — stopped, healed, following in doxology

And Jesus, stopping,participial — σταθείς — the procession to Jerusalem halts for a beggar; leans on ἐκέλευσεν

ordered him to be brought to him.independent — the summons — through the very crowd that hushed him

And when he had come near,participial — genitive absolute — leans on ἐπηρώτησεν

he asked him:independent — the question that invites faith to speak

'What do you want me to do for you?'content — deliberative subjunctive — the blank check faith may fill (cf. Mark 10:36, 51)

And he said:independent — the reply-frame

'Lord, that I may see again.'content — Κύριε — beyond the crowd's 'Nazarene'; elliptical ἵνα of petition

And Jesus said to him:independent — the healing-frame — a bare word, no touch

'Receive your sight;content — the imperative effects what it commands

your faith has saved you.'content — resultative perfect — σέσωκεν reaches past eyesight to salvation; the faith the Son of Man does find (v. 8)

And immediately he saw again,independent — παραχρῆμα — the Lukan 'at once'

and he began to follow him,independent — inceptive imperfect — the discipleship the ruler refused (v. 23)

glorifying God.participial — manner participle — following as doxology

And all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.independent — the chapter closes in public doxology — λαός, God's people, joining the healed man's praise

Analysis. Luke 18 pairs two Luke-only prayer parables with the Mark-10 sequence, and the layout shows both halves' grammar. The parables hang blue beneath their speech-frames, and both carry Luke's narrator-stated purpose as part of the frame itself: the πρὸς τὸ δεῖν purpose line under παραβολήν (v. 1 — pray always, do not lose heart) and the participial audience-diagnosis of v. 9 (τοὺς πεποιθότας … καὶ ἐξουθενοῦντας hanging on τινας, the postponed object τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην closing the frame). Inside the first parable the judge's soliloquy stacks the chapter's deepest lean: the εἰ καί concession and the διά γε grounds both lean forward, anchorless, on ἐκδικήσω — godlessness conceded, self-interest supplied, the verdict granted anyway — and the application runs as questions under Εἶπεν, ending on the πλήν question about finding faith on earth that v. 42 will quietly answer. The two prayers of vv. 11–13 sit as contrasting cnt blocks, thanksgiving-by-comparison under προσηύχετο against the one-line atonement plea under λέγων, with the παρ’ ἐκεῖνον verdict and the humbled/exalted chiasm grounded on κατέβη. From v. 15 the Markan dialogue column returns flush-left — frames at 0, speech hanging at 1, the Decalogue a cnt catena under οἶδας with its Exodus tags, the ἤ-member of the camel saying verbless under εὐκοπώτερον, Peter's ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς answered by the οὐδείς … ὃς ἀφῆκεν … ὃς οὐχὶ μὴ ἀπολάβῃ chain, and the third prediction a cau catena of divine passives unpacking τελεσθήσεται — Luke alone framing the passion as the fulfilment of everything written through the prophets, with v. 34 hammering the triple incomprehension flush-left at 0. Cruxes are named in the tags rather than hidden: μακροθυμεῖ (v. 7) is laid as a second indicative question, its construal flagged; πρὸς ἑαυτόν (v. 11) is kept audible with both 'standing' and 'praying'; Τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; (v. 19) is deflection-to-the-source, the christological edge left open; τὰ ἴδια (v. 28) and πολλαπλασίονα (v. 30) are flagged against the parallels' 'all' and 'hundredfold'; and the blind man of vv. 35–43 — who cries Υἱὲ Δαυίδ where the crowd said only 'the Nazarene,' persists like the widow under the same ἐπετίμων the disciples aimed at the infants, and hears ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε — closes the chapter following and glorifying: the faith the Son of Man does find.