“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
Parallel translations
- WEB saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man.
- KJV Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
- NKJV saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
- NASB saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect any person.
- NLT “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The parable features a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. He is the picture of callous indifference.
Overview
Jesus introduces an unjust judge with no regard for God or man, the very opposite of a righteous arbiter. This negative example sets up an argument from lesser to greater about God's character. The judge's coldness will make God's eagerness to hear his people shine all the brighter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Prov 29:7The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.
- Luke 18:4For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,
- Ps 8:1–4For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.
- Mic 3:1–3Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
- Jer 22:16–17He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.
- Ezek 22:6–8See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
- Exod 18:21–22Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Rom 3:14–18“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
- Job 29:7–17When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
- 2 Chr 19:3–9However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”
- Isa 33:8The highways are deserted; travel has ceased. The treaty has been broken, the witnesses are despised, and human life is disregarded.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 18:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.