Luke 18:1-2

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 Then ¹  Jesus ²  told them a parable to show them they should always ³  pray and not lose heart. ⁴  18:2 He said, ⁵  “In a certain city ⁶  there was a judge ⁷  who neither feared God nor respected people. ⁸ 

Colossians 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Colossians 4:16

4:16 And after ⁹  you have read this letter, have it read ¹⁰  to the church of Laodicea. In turn, read the letter from Laodicea ¹¹  as well.

Galatians 6:9

6:9 So we must not grow weary ¹²  in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹³ 

Galatians 6:2

6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 3:13

3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming ¹⁴  a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) ¹⁵ 

Hebrews 12:3-5

12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed ¹⁶  in your struggle against sin. 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn ¹⁷  the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects ¹⁸  you.

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).

⁴ sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start: …they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).

⁵ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

⁶ tn Or “town.”

⁷ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

⁸ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

⁹ tn Grk “when.”

¹⁰ tn The construction beginning with the imperative ποιήσατε ἵνα…ἀναγνωσθῇ (poihsate Jina…anagnwsqh) should be translated as “have it read” where the conjunction ἵνα functions to mark off its clause as the direct object of the imperative ποιήσατε. The content of the clause (“reading the letter”) is what Paul commands with the imperative ποιήσατε. Thus the translation “have it read” has been used here.

¹¹ sn This letter is otherwise unknown, but some have suggested that it is the letter known today as Ephesians.

¹² tn Or “not become discouraged,” “not lose heart” (L&N 25.288).

¹³ tn Or “if we do not become extremely weary,” “if we do not give out,” “if we do not faint from exhaustion” (L&N 23.79).

¹⁴ tn Grk “having become”; the participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been taken instrumentally.

¹⁵ sn A quotation from Deut 21:23. By figurative extension the Greek word translated tree (ζύλον, zulon) can also be used to refer to a cross (L&N 6.28), the Roman instrument of execution.

¹⁶ tn Grk “until blood.”

¹⁷ tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”

¹⁸ tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.