¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation^(A) and the sword of the Spirit,^(B) which is the word of God.^(C)

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

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) 2} He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice^(B) against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”^(C)

⁶ And the Lord^(D) said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out^(E) to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer,^(A) along with the women^(B) and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.^(C)

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.^(A)

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.

¹² Be joyful in hope,^(A) patient in affliction,^(B) faithful in prayer.^(C)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything,^(A) but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.^(B)