18:7a
Will not God bring about justice for His elect…?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that God will certainly bring about justice for his people. The question expects the answer “Certainly he will.” Jesus answered this question himself in 18:8a.
Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Won’t God give his chosen people justice…? (God’s Word)
-or-
So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people…? (New Living Translation (2004))
• As a statement. For example:
God will always give what is right to his people… (New Century Version)
-or-
you can be sure that God will bring about justice for his people
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
Will not God bring about justice for His elect: In this context the phrase Will not God bring about justice for His elect indicates that God will do what is just and right for his people. He will give them the help that they deserve. He will rescue them from people who have oppressed them, and he will punish the people who have treated them unjustly. He will cause his people to be treated fairly. Some ways to translate this are:
God will certainly do what is right/just for his chosen people
-or-
God will certainly cause his chosen people to obtain justice
His elect: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as His elect refers to the people whom God has chosen to be his people. They are the ones who believe him and trust him. Some ways to translate this are:
the people whom he chose ⌊to be his⌋
-or-
his people…. He has selected them ⌊to trust him⌋.
The disciples were part of the group that Jesus referred to as His elect. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear. For example:
Will not God do the right thing for you(plur) ⌊and for all the others⌋ whom he has chosen…?
18:7b
who cry out to Him day and night: The clause who cry out to Him day and night indicates that God’s people are praying earnestly and persistently. They continually come to God with pleas for help and justice. In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit why they are crying out to God. For example:
who continually pray/appeal to him ⌊to help/them⌋
-or-
who keep crying out to him, “Please help(sing) us!”
The clause who cry out to Him day and night focuses on the ones among God’s people who pray to him continually. God will certainly give them justice. Some other ways to translate this clause are:
when they cry out to him for help day and night (God’s Word)
-or-
if they keep calling to him day and night (New Jerusalem Bible)
cry out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cry out refers here to loud pleading that is caused by distress or anguish. Here the word emphasizes that God’s people prayed fervently because of their great need. It does not imply that they were being disrespectful by speaking loudly. Use an appropriate word in your language to refer to earnestly asking God for help.
The same Greek word also occurs in 9:38 in an appeal to Jesus. See how you translated it there.
day and night: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as day and night indicates that God’s people continue to pray regularly for him to help them. They pray at all times of the day and night. The similar phrase “night and day” was used in 2:37 to describe the widow Anna, who fasted and prayed continually.
Some other ways to translate this are:
night and day
-or-
continually
18:7c
Will He continue to defer their help?: This is a rhetorical question. Scholars interpret it in different ways. Some of these interpretations are:
(1) It means “he will not delay to help them and give them justice.” For example:
Will he delay long in helping them? (New Revised Standard Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible)
(2) It means “even though he delays in giving them justice.” For example:
even though he still delays to help them (New Jerusalem Bible)
(New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version)
(3) It means “he is patient with them and concerned for them.” For example:
…to whom he listens patiently (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Won’t he be concerned for them? (Contemporary English Version)
(Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions.
The rhetorical question emphasizes that God will certainly not be slow to help them. He will be quick to give them justice. Jesus answered this question himself in 18:8a. Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• As a rhetorical question or a question and its answer. For example:
Will he be slow to help them? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Will God delay in giving them justice? ⌊No!⌋
-or-
Will God promptly bring justice to his people? ⌊Yes, he will.⌋
• As a statement. For example:
God…will not be slow to answer them. (New Century Version)
-or-
You can be sure that he will not delay ⌊in helping them⌋.
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
General Comment on 18:7a–c
Some languages may need to change the order of the clauses in this verse. For example:
7aWhen God’s chosen people 7bsay night and day, “Help us!” 7che will quickly help them.
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