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.

¹⁷ pray continually,^(A)

Further Instructions

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

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,^(A) intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

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

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

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. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts^(C) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes^(D) for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(A) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”^(B)

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? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man^(F) comes,^(G) will he find faith on the earth?”