Luke 18:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →For a while the judge refuses; then he begins to reason with himself, freely admitting that neither God nor man moves him.
What Does Luke 18:4 Mean?
The delay is part of the story. Day after day the widow's plea meets silence, and the judge's inner monologue confirms the worst about him — he has no conscience left to appeal to. Jesus lets his hearers feel the long, unexplained wait that praying people know so well.
Yet refusal is not the end of this story. The parable is honest that answers can be slow, and that the silence can sound final, while insisting it is not. What will change the judge is not a softened heart but a woman who will not stop coming — and her persistence is about to win. That, Jesus will say, is what faith looks like in the waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 18:4
What does Luke 18:4 mean?
For a while the judge refuses; then he begins to reason with himself, freely admitting that neither God nor man moves him.