Othniel

⁷ The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord^(A) their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.^{(B) 8} The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold^(C) them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim^(D) king of Aram Naharaim,^[a](E) to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. ⁹ But when they cried out^(F) to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer,^(G) Othniel^(H) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. ¹⁰ The Spirit of the Lord came on him,^(I) so that he became Israel’s judge^[b] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim^(J) king of Aram^(K) into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. ¹¹ So the land had peace^(L) for forty years,^(M) until Othniel son of Kenaz^(N) died.

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?”