Te pānui kei te pukapuka o Ruka, te 18 o ngā upoko, ka timata i te whiti 1

Nā, ka kōrero ia i tētahi kupu whakarite ki a rātou mō tēnei, kia īnoi rātou i ngā wā katoa, kia kaua e ngoikore.  2 I mea ia, “I tētahi pā tērā tētahi kaiwhakawā, he tangata kīhai nei i wehi ki te Atua, kīhai anō i hopohopo ki te tangata.  3 I taua pā anō tētahi pouaru; ā, ka haere mai tērā ki a ia, ka mea, “Takitakina tōku mate i tōku hoa tauwhāinga.”

4 Ā, he roa kīhai ia i pai, muri iho ka mea ia i roto i a ia, ‘Ahakoa kāhore ahau e wehi ki te Atua, e hopohopo ki te tangata, 5 heoi ka pōrearea ahau i te pouaru nei, nā, ka takitakina e ahau tōna mate, kei haere tonu mai ka mate ahau i te hōhā.’”

6 Ka mea te Ariki, “Whakarongo ki tā te kaiwhakawā kino i mea ra.  7 Ā, e kore rānei te Atua e ngaki i te mate o āna tāngata i whiriwhiri ai, e karanga nei ki a ia i te ao, i te pō, ahakoa whakaroa noa ia ki a rātou?  8 Ko tāku kupu tēnei ki a koutou, ka hohoro ia te takitaki i tō rātou mate. Otirā, ka tae mai te Tama a te tangata, e rokohina mai rānei e ia he whakapono i runga i te whenua?”

Today’s reading comes from the book of Luke, chapter 18, beginning at verse 1

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 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, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”