Speaking to God and Others

² Devote yourselves^(A) to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray^(A) always and not give up.^{(B) 2} “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God^(C) or respect people. ³ And a widow^(D) in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps^(E) pestering me,^[a] I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out^[b] by her persistent coming.’”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ Will not God grant justice^(F) to his elect^(G) who cry out to him day and night?^(H) Will he delay^(I) helping them?^{[c] 8} I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,^(J) will he find faith on earth?”