There’s a world of difference between the words “should” and “must.” When my wife tells me I should exercise more, I know she’s right. It’s good advice. But there’s still a sense that I have a choice. On the other hand, after I experienced an atrial fibrillation episode while preaching recently—something dehydration may have contributed to—my doctor told me I must drink more water. That wasn’t a suggestion. It was a necessity.
Should We Pray Continually—or Must We?
Bill Mounce
That distinction came to mind as I was listening to a sermon on the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1–8). Luke introduces the parable this way: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should (δεῖ) always (πάντοτε) pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1, NIV).
The English word “should” caught my attention because the Greek word behind it is δεῖ. According to the standard Greek lexicon (BDAG), the primary meaning of δεῖ is “it is necessary, one must, one has to.” It expresses necessity or obligation, not merely a good idea. In other words, Jesus isn’t simply recommending persistent prayer. He is saying that praying continually is necessary.
The word δεῖ appears more than 100 times in the New Testament, and it consistently carries this sense of necessity.
- “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (Mark 9:11).
- “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also.” (Luke 4:43)
- “There is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Most English translations soften Luke 18:1. The NIV, NET, and NLT use “should,” while the NASB and ESV have “ought.” The CSB translates it as “it is necessary,” and the NRSV uses “must.” Those latter renderings capture the force of δεῖ more accurately
Of course, persistent prayer raises difficult questions. How long should we keep praying for something? Is there ever a time to stop? How do we know when God is saying “wait,” “no,” or “not yet”?>
Scripture doesn’t always give us a simple formula, but I have found one helpful question: Has God released you from praying about it?
Sometimes the answer to our prayer has been “no” for a long time. That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re finished praying. If the burden remains, perhaps the invitation to keep praying remains as well.
In my office are two pictures that remind me of this truth.
- One shows a large bird trying to swallow a frog. The frog has its hands around the bird’s throat, refusing to be swallowed. The caption reads, “Don’t Ever Give Up!”
- The other is a picture of a building that I hope will one day become the headquarters of BiblicalTraining. Beneath it are Jesus’ words: “μὴ φοβοῦ, μόνον πίστευε” (Mark 5:36).
There are prayers I’ve carried for more than twenty-five years. They have not yet been answered the way I hoped, but neither have I sensed that the Lord has released me from praying for them.
So I continue. Not because persistence earns God’s favor, but because Jesus says that we must always pray and not lose heart.
What has God placed so deeply on your heart that you still carry it before him? Perhaps today is another invitation—not to give up, but to keep trusting, keep believing, and keep praying.
