⁴ I prayed to the Lord my God and ^(A)made confession, saying, ^(B)“O Lord, the ^(C)great and awesome God, who ^(D)keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

⁷ To you, ^(A)O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, ^(B)those who are near and ^(C)those who are far away, in ^(D)all the lands to which you have driven them, because of ^(E)the treachery that they have committed against you. ⁸ To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because ^(F)we have sinned against you. ^9 (G)To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

¹⁶ “O Lord, ^(A)according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, ^(B)your holy hill, ^(C)because for our sins, and for ^(D)the iniquities of our fathers, ^(E)Jerusalem and your people have become ^(F)a byword among all who are around us. ¹⁷ Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,^{[a] (G)}make your face to shine upon ^(H)your sanctuary, which is desolate. ^18 (I)O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see ^(J)our desolations, and ^(K)the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. ^(L)Delay not, ^(M)for your own sake, O my God, because ^(N)your city and ^(O)your people are called by your name.”

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought ^(A)always to pray and not ^(B)lose heart.

⁷ And ^(A)will not God give justice to ^(B)his elect, ^(C)who cry to him day and night? ^(D)(E)Will he delay long over them? ⁸ I tell you, he will give justice to them ^(F)speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, ^(G)will he find faith on earth?”