²⁷ “The days are coming,”^(A) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(B) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸ Just as I watched^(C) over them to uproot^(D) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(E) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(F) declares the Lord. ²⁹ “In those days people will no longer say,

³⁰ Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(I) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

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?”

Reasons for Paul’s Instructions

¹⁴ Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, ¹⁵ if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church^(A) of the living God,^(B) the pillar and foundation of the truth. ¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery^(C) from which true godliness^(D) springs is great:

4 The Spirit^(H) clearly says that in later times^(I) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(J) and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^{(K) 3} They forbid people to marry^(L) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(M) which God created^(N) to be received with thanksgiving^(O) by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good,^(P) and nothing is to be rejected^(Q) if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God^(R) and prayer.