Luke 18:3

Luke 18:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
• New Living Translation (NLT)A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’

Context of Luke 18:3

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”

Luke 18:3 word by word

χήρα δὲ ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα· ἐκδίκησόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• there wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a widowχήραchēra · widowG5503
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• she cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Avengeἐκδικέωekdikeō · to avengeG1556
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• adversaryἀντίδικοςantidikos · opponentG476

Cross-references for Luke 18:3

• Deuteronomy 27:19“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• 2 Samuel 14:5The king asked her, “What is troubling you?” She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead.
• Job 22:9And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.
• Job 29:13The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing.
• Isaiah 1:17Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
• Jeremiah 5:28and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
• Luke 18:7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
• Romans 13:3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.

Commentaries on Luke 18:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Avenge me of mine adversary - The original, , had better be translated, Do me justice against, or vindicate me from, my adversary. If the woman had come to get revenge, as our common translation intimates, I think our blessed Lord would never have permitted her to have the honor of a place in the sacred records. She desired to have justice, and that only; and by her importunity she got that which the unrighteous judge had no inclination to give, but…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3A widow - This is a circumstance that gives increasing interest to the parable. Judges were bound to show special attention to widows, Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3. The reason of this was that they were defenseless, were commonly poor, and were liable to be oppressed by those in power. Avenge me - This would have been better translated, “Do me justice against my adversary, or vindicate me from him.” It does not denote vengeance or revenge, but simply that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3a widow: God cares for widows, orphans, and foreigners. These were the most vulnerable people in ancient society. He has promised to judge those who treat them badly (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:18; 24:17; 27:19; Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 1:23; 10:2; Jeremiah 22:3; Ezekiel 22:7; Amos 5:10–13; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5). Give me justice: The woman was right in this dispute. She was not asking for special treatment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81-5. always--Compare Lu 18:7, "night and day." faint--lose heart, or slacken.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 18:3

• Despondency
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Admiration
• Adversary
• Bear
• Elect
• Avenge; Avenger
• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Martha
• Prayer

Commentaries on Luke 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings