What is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector?
In Luke 18:9–14 Jesus tells of two men praying: a respectable Pharisee who lists his credentials, and a tax collector who only cries, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Jesus says the second one went home justified — the first did not.
The Pharisee’s prayer is religious but self-congratulatory: "I thank you that I am not like other men." The tax collector’s is desperate: he will not even lift his eyes.
The point is the unbearable contrast between earning standing with God and receiving it. Pride bars the door; humility opens it.
It is also a warning to "good" Christians: the moment we start comparing ourselves favorably to others, we have moved away from grace. The way home is always the same — "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.