¹⁷ pray continually,^{(A) 18} give thanks in all circumstances;^(B) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 5^[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.^(A)

³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray^(A) that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit^(A) himself intercedes for us^(B) through wordless groans.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit^(A) on all occasions^(B) with all kinds of prayers and requests.^(C) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying^(D) for all the Lord’s people.

Further Instructions

² Devote yourselves to prayer,^(A) being watchful and thankful.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest^(A) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are^(B)—yet he did not sin.^(C)