Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(A)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^(B)

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.^(A)

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?

⁴¹ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down^(A) and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup^(B) from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”^(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)

¹⁶ Let us then approach^(A) God’s throne of grace with confidence,^(B) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(A) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(B) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(C)

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up^(A) in your most holy faith^(B) and praying in the Holy Spirit,^(C)