Luke 18:5yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"
The setting
Jesus continues the parable. The Greek word for 'wear me out' is a boxing term meaning 'hit under the eye' - she's literally going to give him a black eye...
The emotion here: amused by human determination, proud of those who don't quit
The original word
hupōpiazō (ὑπωπιάζω) — to strike under the eye, give a black eye, from boxing
Why it matters
Widows had no legal standing and couldn't hire lawyers; persistence was their only weapon
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 18:5
This is violent imagery - she's going to metaphorically beat him up with her persistence
Common misconceptionPeople think God is like this reluctant judge who needs to be worn down. Actually, Jesus is saying God is the OPPOSITE - He wants to answer quickly.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 18:5
Bible Genome reading
Luke 18:5 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 18:5 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persistence, reluctant help. Notable phrases: widow bothers me; wear me out by continual coming.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 18:5 mean to you, today?
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