Luke 18:1-10

Parables on Prayer

1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ¹ought to pray and not to ²lose heart,

2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not ³respect man.

3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'

4 "For a while he was unwilling *; but afterward * he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor ⁴respect man,

5 yet ⁵because this widow bothers * me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise * by continually * coming she will ⁶wear me out.' "

6 And ⁷the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

7 now, will not God ⁸bring about justice for His ⁹elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He ¹⁰delay long over them?

8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, ¹¹will He find faith on the earth?"

The Pharisee and the Publican

9 And He also told this parable to some people who ¹²trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and ¹³viewed others with contempt:

10 "Two men ¹⁴went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 11:5-10
• 2. 2 Corinthians 4:1
• 3. Luke 18:4; Luke 20:13; Hebrews 12:9
• 4. Luke 18:2; Luke 20:13; Hebrews 12:9
• 5. Luke 11:8
• 6. 1 Corinthians 9:27
• 7. Luke 7:13
• 8. Revelation 6:10
• 9. Matthew 24:22; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1
• 10. 2 Peter 3:9
• 11. Luke 17:26f
• 12. Luke 16:15
• 13. Romans 14:3, 10
• 14. 1 Kings 10:5; 2 Kings 20:5, 8; Acts 3:1

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "Do me justice"
• [b]. Lit "do her justice"
• [c]. Lit "hit me under the eye"
• [d]. Or "and yet He is very patient toward them"
• [e]. Lit "the faith"