²⁶ And ^(A)He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”

But he said, ^(B)“I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

^8 (A)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly ^(B)I will rather boast in my infirmities, ^(C)that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

An Invocation and a Doxology

To the Chief Musician. On ^[a]stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men ^(A)always ought to pray and not lose heart, ² saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor ^[a]regard man. ³ Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ^[b]‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ ⁴ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ^5 (B)yet because this widow troubles me I will ^[c]avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. ⁷ And ^(C)shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my ^[a]territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

^37 (A)Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

The Disciples’ Eyes Opened

²⁸ Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and ^(A)He ^[a]indicated that He would have gone farther. ²⁹ But ^(B)they constrained Him, saying, ^(C)“Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.