Focused Passage

Luke 18:1-8

Persistent Faith, Humble Mercy, and the King on the Road to Jerusalem

Jesus teaches disciples to persist in prayer, contrasts self-righteousness with humble mercy-seeking, welcomes childlike kingdom receivers, exposes wealth as a rival master, foretells his suffering and resurrection, and gives sight to a blind beggar who recognizes him as Son of David.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:

2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.

3 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,

5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge.

7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?

8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Then δὲ G1161 Conjunction [Jesus] told Ἔλεγεν G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural a parable παραβολὴν G3850 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular about πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular their αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural need δεῖν G1163 Verb - Present Infinitive Active to pray προσεύχεσθαι G4336 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive at all times πάντοτε G3842 Adverb and καὶ G2532 Conjunction not μὴ G3361 Adverb lose heart ἐνκακεῖν G1573 Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 2

Original words

- λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular In ἔν G1722 Preposition a certain τινι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular town πόλει G4172 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular there was ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a τις G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular judge Κριτής G2923 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [who] neither μὴ G3361 Adverb feared φοβούμενος G5399 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεὸν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction [nor] μὴ G3361 Adverb respected ἐντρεπόμενος G1788 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular men ἄνθρωπον G444 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

And δὲ G1161 Conjunction there was ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a widow χήρα G5503 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition that ἐκείνῃ G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular town πόλει G4172 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction who kept appealing ἤρχετο G2064 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular . . . λέγουσα G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Give me justice Ἐκδίκησόν G1556 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular . . . με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular [against] ἀπὸ G575 Preposition my μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular adversary ἀντιδίκου G476 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 4

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction For ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition a while χρόνον G5550 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb he refused ἤθελεν G2309 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction later μετὰ G3326 Preposition he ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to ἐν G1722 Preposition himself ἑαυτῷ G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Though Εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction I neither οὐ G3756 Adverb fear φοβοῦμαι G5399 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεὸν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular nor οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction respect ἐντρέπομαι G1788 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular men ἄνθρωπον G444 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

yet γε G1065 Particle because διά G1223 Preposition this ταύτην G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular widow χήραν G5503 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular keeps pestering me παρέχειν G3930 Verb - Present Infinitive Active . . . μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular . . . κόπον G2873 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular I will give her justice ἐκδικήσω G1556 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular Otherwise ἵνα G2443 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb she will wear me out ὑπωπιάζῃ G5299 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular with her perpetual requests εἰς G1519 Preposition . . . τέλος G5056 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . ἐρχομένη G2064 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

And δὲ G1161 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular said Εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Listen to Ἀκούσατε G191 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular [the] words λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular of the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular unjust ἀδικίας G93 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular judge κριτὴς G2923 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction {Will} not οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular bring about ποιήσῃ G4160 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular justice for ἐκδίκησιν G1557 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural elect ἐκλεκτῶν G1588 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural who τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural cry out βοώντων G994 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural to Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular day ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction night νυκτός G3571 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Will He delay in helping μακροθυμεῖ G3114 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 8

Original words

I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction He will promptly carry out ποιήσει G4160 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἐν G1722 Preposition . . . τάχει G5034 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular justice ἐκδίκησιν G1557 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular on their behalf αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural Nevertheless πλὴν G4133 Conjunction [when] the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Son Υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Man ἀνθρώπου G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular comes ἐλθὼν G2064 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular will He find εὑρήσει G2147 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - ἆρα G687 Conjunction - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.