⁸ I say to you, ^(A)though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

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!”

^12 (A)Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always ^(B)laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand ^(C)perfect and ^[a]complete in all the will of God.

³⁰ Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and ^(A)through the love of the Spirit, ^(B)that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,

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? ⁸ I tell you ^(D)that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

²² And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, ^(A)Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

²³ But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

²⁴ But He answered and said, ^(B)“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

²⁵ Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

²⁶ But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little ^(C)dogs.”

²⁷ And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, ^(D)great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Not Philosophy but Christ

2 For I want you to know what a great ^(A)conflict^[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

^8 (A)Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.