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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. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 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!’”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 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? 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?”

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Footnotes

  1. 18:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

Parables on Prayer

18 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they (A)ought to pray and not (B)become discouraged, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not (C)respect any person. Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my [a]opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor (D)respect any person, yet (E)because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice; otherwise [b]by continually coming she will (F)wear me out.’” And (G)the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge *said; now, will God not (H)bring about justice for His (I)elect who cry out to Him day [c]and night, and will He (J)delay long for them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, (K)will He find [d]faith on the earth?”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:3 Or enemy
  2. Luke 18:5 Or in the end she may come and give me a black eye
  3. Luke 18:7 Or and night? He is also patient toward them
  4. Luke 18:8 Lit the faith