Luke 18:1-13 ▼

1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.

2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people.

3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people,

5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.

7 Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them?

8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? ”

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

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

11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’

13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner! ’