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Luke 18:1-14
New Living Translation
Luke 18:1-14
New Living Translation
Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
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Luke 18:1-14
New International Version
Luke 18:1-14
New International Version
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?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness(H) and looked down on everyone else,(I) Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray,(J) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself(K) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(L) twice a week and give a tenth(M) of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast(N) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’(O)
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(P)
Psalm 44:9-26
New Living Translation
Psalm 44:9-26
New Living Translation
9 But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
You no longer lead our armies to battle.
10 You make us retreat from our enemies
and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.
11 You have butchered us like sheep
and scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your precious people for a pittance,
making nothing on the sale.
13 You let our neighbors mock us.
We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
14 You have made us the butt of their jokes;
they shake their heads at us in scorn.
15 We can’t escape the constant humiliation;
shame is written across our faces.
16 All we hear are the taunts of our mockers.
All we see are our vengeful enemies.
17 All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
We have not violated your covenant.
18 Our hearts have not deserted you.
We have not strayed from your path.
19 Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home.
You have covered us with darkness and death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
21 God would surely have known it,
for he knows the secrets of every heart.
22 But for your sake we are killed every day;
we are being slaughtered like sheep.
23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
Get up! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you look the other way?
Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
25 We collapse in the dust,
lying face down in the dirt.
26 Rise up! Help us!
Ransom us because of your unfailing love.
Psalm 44:9-26
New International Version
Psalm 44:9-26
New International Version
9 But now you have rejected(A) and humbled us;(B)
you no longer go out with our armies.(C)
10 You made us retreat(D) before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered(E) us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep(F)
and have scattered us among the nations.(G)
12 You sold your people for a pittance,(H)
gaining nothing from their sale.
13 You have made us a reproach(I) to our neighbors,(J)
the scorn(K) and derision(L) of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword(M) among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads(N) at us.
15 I live in disgrace(O) all day long,
and my face is covered with shame(P)
16 at the taunts(Q) of those who reproach and revile(R) me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.(S)
17 All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten(T) you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned(U) back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed(V) us and made us a haunt for jackals;(W)
you covered us over with deep darkness.(X)
20 If we had forgotten(Y) the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,(Z)
21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?(AA)
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep(AB) to be slaughtered.(AC)
Proverbs 22:7
New Living Translation
Proverbs 22:7
New Living Translation
7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 22:7
New International Version
Proverbs 22:7
New International Version
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
New Living Translation (NLT)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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