Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
Parallel translations
- WEB Won’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?
- KJV And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
- NKJV And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
- NASB now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them?
- NLT Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
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
Will not God surely bring justice to his chosen ones who cry out day and night? God is far more responsive than any earthly judge.
Overview
Jesus applies the parable: if even an unjust judge yields, the just God will certainly vindicate his elect who persist in prayer. The reference to his "chosen ones" assures believers of God's covenant commitment to them. God's seeming delay is patience, not indifference, and his justice is certain.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Heb 10:35–37So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
- 2 Pet 3:9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Luke 11:13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
- 1 Tim 5:5The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
- Jer 20:11–13But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten.
- 2 Th 1:6After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
- Rev 6:10And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
- Luke 2:37and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
- Hab 2:3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.
- Matt 7:11So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- Ps 88:1A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD, the God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You.
- Ps 13:1–2For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
- Ps 54:1–7For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went to Saul and said, “Is David not hiding among us?” Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might!
- 1 Sam 26:10–11David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
- Rev 18:20Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.
- Rom 8:33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
- 1 Sam 24:12–15May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
- Ps 10:15–18Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
- Ps 9:8He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.
- Col 3:12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- 1 Th 3:10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking from your faith.
- 2 Tim 1:3I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
- Rev 7:15For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
- Titus 1:1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
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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 18:7 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
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