Luke 18:1-12 ▼

1 And He also spoke an allegory to them, that it is always necessary to pray and not to faint,

2 saying, “A certain judge was in a certain city—he is not fearing God, and he is not regarding man—

3 and a widow was in that city, and she was coming to him, saying, Do me justice on my opponent,

4 and he would not for a time, but after these things he said in himself, Even if I do not fear God, and do not regard man,

5 yet because this widow gives me trouble, I will do her justice, lest, continuously coming, she may bruise me.”

6 And the LORD said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says:

7 and will God not execute justice to His chosen ones, who are crying to Him day and night—bearing long in regard to them?

8 I say to you that He will execute justice to them quickly; but the Son of Man having come, will He find faith on the earth?”

9 And He also spoke to some who have been trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and have been despising the rest, this allegory:

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector;

11 the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank You that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector;

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things—as many as I possess.