Luke 11
Christian Standard Bible
The Lord’s Prayer
11 He was praying(A) in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”(B)
2 He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say,(C)
Father,[a](D)
your name(E) be honored as holy.(F)
Your kingdom come.[b](G)
3 Give us each day our daily bread.[c](H)
4 And forgive us our sins,(I)
for we ourselves also forgive everyone
in debt to us.[d](J)
And do not bring us into temptation.”[e](K)
Ask, Search, Knock
5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you[f] has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ 7 Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness,[g] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.(L)
9 “So(M) I say to you, ask,(N) and it will be given to you. Seek,(O) and you will find. Knock,(P) and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son[h] asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil,(Q) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father(R) give the Holy Spirit(S) to those who ask him?”
A House Divided
14 Now(T) he was driving out a demon(U) that was mute.(V) When the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,(W) the ruler(X) of the demons.”(Y) 16 And others, as a test,(Z) were demanding of him a sign(AA) from heaven.
17 Knowing their thoughts,(AB) he told them, “Every kingdom divided(AC) against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan(AD) also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom(AE) stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons(AF) drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God,(AG) then the kingdom of God(AH) has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers(AI) him, he takes from him all his weapons[i](AJ) he trusted(AK) in, and divides up his plunder.(AL) 23 Anyone who is not with me is against me,(AM) and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.
An Unclean Spirit’s Return
24 “When(AN) an unclean spirit(AO) comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest,(AP) and not finding rest, it then[j] says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ 25 Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits(AQ) more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.”(AR)
True Blessedness
27 As he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd(AS) raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the one who nursed you!” (AT)
28 He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God(AU) and keep it.”(AV)
The Sign of Jonah
29 As the crowds were increasing, he began saying, “This generation(AW) is an evil generation.(AX) It demands a sign,(AY) but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.[k](AZ) 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man(BA) will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south(BB) will rise up at the judgment(BC) with the men of this generation and condemn(BD) them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,(BE) and look—something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, and look—something greater than Jonah is here.
The Lamp of the Body
33 “No(BF) one lights a lamp(BG) and puts it in the cellar or under a basket,[l] but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body.(BH) When your eye is healthy, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad,(BI) your body is also full of darkness. 35 Take care, then, that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If, therefore, your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be entirely illuminated, as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
Religious Hypocrisy Denounced
37 As he was speaking, a Pharisee(BJ) asked him to dine with him. So he went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first perform the ritual washing[m](BK) before dinner.(BL) 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed(BM) and evil.(BN) 40 Fools!(BO) Didn’t he who made the outside make the inside too? 41 But give from what is within to the poor,[n](BP) and then everything is clean(BQ) for you.
42 “But woe(BR) to you Pharisees! You give a tenth[o](BS) of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass[p] justice(BT) and love for God.[q](BU) These things you should have done without neglecting the others.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees! You love the front seat(BV) in the synagogues(BW) and greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you![r] You are like unmarked graves; (BX) the people who walk over them don’t know it.”
45 One of the experts in the law(BY) answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too.”
46 Then he said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens(BZ) that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.(CA)
47 “Woe to you! You build tombs[s] for the prophets,(CB) and your fathers killed(CC) them. 48 Therefore, you are witnesses(CD) that you approve[t](CE) the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments.[u] 49 Because of this, the wisdom of God(CF) said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles,(CG) and some of them they will kill and persecute,’(CH) 50 so that this generation(CI) may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world[v](CJ) — 51 from the blood of Abel(CK) to the blood of Zechariah,(CL) who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.
“Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible.[w]
52 “Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge.(CM) You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered(CN) those who were trying to go in.”
53 When he left there,[x] the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose(CO) him fiercely and to cross-examine him about many things; 54 they were lying in wait(CP) for him to trap him in something he said.[y](CQ)
Footnotes
- 11:2 Other mss read Our Father in heaven
- 11:2 Other mss add Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
- 11:3 Or our bread for tomorrow
- 11:4 Or everyone who wrongs us
- 11:4 Other mss add But deliver us from the evil one
- 11:5 Lit Who of you
- 11:8 Or persistence
- 11:11 Other mss read son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he
- 11:22 Gk panoplia, the armor and weapons of a foot soldier; Eph 6:11,13
- 11:24 Other mss omit then
- 11:29 Other mss add the prophet
- 11:33 Other mss omit or under a basket
- 11:38 Lit he did not first wash
- 11:41 Or But donate from the heart as charity
- 11:42 Or a tithe
- 11:42 Or neglect
- 11:42 Lit the justice and the love of God
- 11:44 Other mss add scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
- 11:47 Or graves
- 11:48 Lit witnesses and approve
- 11:48 Other mss omit their monuments
- 11:50 Lit so that the blood of all... world may be required of this generation,
- 11:51 Lit you, it will be required of this generation
- 11:53 Other mss read And as he was saying these things to them
- 11:54 Other mss add so that they might bring charges against him
Luke 11
English Standard Version
The Lord's Prayer
11 Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, (A)as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, (B)“When you pray, say:
(C)“Father, (D)hallowed be (E)your name.
(F)Your kingdom come.
3 (G)Give us (H)each day our daily bread,[b]
4 and (I)forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And (J)lead us not into temptation.”
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything (K)because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, (L)ask, and (M)it will be given to you; (N)seek, and you will find; (O)knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, (P)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father (Q)give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus and Beelzebul
14 (R)Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons (S)by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, (T)to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 (U)But he, (V)knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, (W)by whom do (X)your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by (Y)the finger of God that I cast out demons, then (Z)the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 (AA)but when one stronger than he attacks him and (AB)overcomes him, he takes away his (AC)armor in which he trusted and (AD)divides his spoil. 23 (AE)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Return of an Unclean Spirit
24 (AF)“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through (AG)waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And (AH)the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
True Blessedness
27 As he said these things, (AI)a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, (AJ)“Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, (AK)“Blessed rather are those (AL)who hear the word of God and (AM)keep it!”
The Sign of Jonah
29 (AN)When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, (AO)“This generation is an evil generation. (AP)It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as (AQ)Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 (AR)The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and (AS)condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, (AT)something greater than Solomon is here. 32 (AU)The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and (AV)condemn it, for (AW)they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, (AX)something greater than Jonah is here.
The Light in You
33 (AY)“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is (AZ)the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is (BA)bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 (BB)Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, (BC)as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers
37 While Jesus[e] was speaking, (BD)a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see (BE)that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, (BF)“Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of (BG)greed and wickedness. 40 (BH)You fools! (BI)Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But (BJ)give as alms those things that are within, and behold, (BK)everything is clean for you.
42 (BL)“But woe to you Pharisees! For (BM)you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect (BN)justice and (BO)the love of God. (BP)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For (BQ)you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! (BR)For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”
45 One of (BS)the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you (BT)lawyers also! For (BU)you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 (BV)Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 (BW)So you are witnesses and you (BX)consent to the deeds of (BY)your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also (BZ)the Wisdom of God said, (CA)‘I will send them (CB)prophets and apostles, (CC)some of whom they will (CD)kill and persecute,’ 50 so that (CE)the blood of all the prophets, shed (CF)from the foundation of the world, may be (CG)charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of (CH)Abel to the blood of (CI)Zechariah, who perished between (CJ)the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be (CK)required of this generation. 52 Woe to you (CL)lawyers! (CM)For you have taken away the key of (CN)knowledge. You (CO)did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”
53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 (CP)lying in wait for him, (CQ)to catch him in something he might say.
Footnotes
- Luke 11:1 Greek he
- Luke 11:3 Or our bread for tomorrow
- Luke 11:8 Or persistence
- Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts insert bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for
- Luke 11:37 Greek he
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
