Luke 18:1-10

One day Jesus taught the apostles to keep praying and never stop or lose hope. He shared with them this illustration: “In a certain town there was a judge, a thick-skinned and godless man who had no fear of others’ opinions. And in the same town there was a poor widow who kept pleading with the judge, ‘Grant me justice and protect me from my oppressor!’ “He ignored her pleas for quite some time, but she kept asking. Eventually he said to himself, ‘This widow keeps annoying me, demanding her rights, and I’m tired of listening to her. Even though I’m not a religious man, and I don’t care about the opinions of others, I’ll get her off my back by answering her claims for justice and I’ll rule in her favor. Then she’ll leave me alone.’ ” Jesus continued, “Did you hear what the godless judge said—that he would answer her persistent request? Don’t you know that God, the true judge, will grant justice to all his chosen ones who cry out to him night and day? He will pour out his Spirit upon them. He will not delay to answer you and give you what you ask for. God will give swift justice to those who don’t give up. So be ever praying, ever expecting, in the same way as the widow. Even so, when the Son of Man comes back, will he find this kind of undying faith on earth?” Jesus taught this parable to those who were convinced they were morally upright and to those who trusted in their own virtue yet looked down on others with disgust: “Two men who went into the temple to pray. One was a proud religious leader, the other a despised tax collector.