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
Luke 11
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Teaches About Prayer
11 One time Jesus was praying in a place. When he finished, one of his followers said to him, “John taught his followers how to pray. Lord, please teach us how to pray, too.”
2 Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, we pray that your name will always be kept holy.
We pray that your kingdom will come.
3 Give us the food we need for each day.
4 Forgive us the sins we have done,
because we forgive every person who has done wrong to us.
And do not cause us to be tested.’”[a]
Continue to Ask
5-6 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you went to your friend’s house at midnight and said to him, ‘A friend of mine has come into town to visit me. But I have nothing for him to eat. Please loan me three loaves of bread.’ 7 Your friend inside the house answers, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked. My children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you the bread now.’ 8 I tell you, maybe friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you the bread. But he will surely get up to give you what you need if you continue to ask. 9 So I tell you, continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 10 Yes, if a person continues asking, he will receive. If he continues searching, he will find. And if he continues knocking, the door will open for him. 11 What would you fathers do if your son asks you for[b] a fish? Would any of you give him a snake? 12 Or, if your son asks for an egg, would you give him a scorpion? 13 Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father knows how to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
Jesus’ Power Is from God
14 One time Jesus was sending a demon out of a man who could not talk. When the demon came out, the man was able to speak. The people were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul to force demons out of people. Beelzebul is the ruler of demons.”
16 Other people wanted to test Jesus. They asked him to give them a sign from heaven. 17 But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “Every kingdom that is divided and fights against itself will be destroyed. And a family that fights against itself will break apart. 18 So if Satan is fighting against himself, then how will his kingdom last? You say that I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons. 19 But if I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, then by what power do your people force out demons? So your own people prove that you are wrong. 20 But if I use the power of God to force out demons, the kingdom of God has come to you!
21 “When a strong man with many weapons guards his own house, then the things in his house are safe. 22 But suppose a stronger man comes and defeats him. The stronger man will take away the weapons that the first man trusted to keep his house safe. Then the stronger man will do what he wants with the first man’s things.
23 “If anyone is not with me, he is against me. He who does not work with me is working against me.
The Empty Man
24 “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry places, looking for a place to rest. But that spirit finds no place to rest. So it says, ‘I will go back to the home I left.’ 25 When the spirit comes back to that person, it finds that home swept clean and made neat. 26 Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself. Then all the evil spirits go into that person and live there. And he has even more trouble than he had before.”
People Who Are Truly Blessed
27 When Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out. She said to Jesus, “Your mother is blessed because she gave birth to you and nursed you.”
28 But Jesus said, “Those who hear the teaching of God and obey it—they are the ones who are truly blessed.”
Give Us Proof!
29 The crowd grew larger. Jesus said, “The people who live today are evil. They ask for a miracle as a sign from God. But they will have no sign—only the sign of Jonah.[c] 30 Jonah was a sign for those people who lived in Nineveh. In the same way the Son of Man will be a sign for the people of this time. 31 On the Judgment Day the Queen of the South[d] will stand up with the men who live now. She will show that they are guilty because she came from far away to listen to Solomon’s wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is here! 32 On the Judgment Day the men of Nineveh will stand up with the people who live now. And they will show that you are guilty, because when Jonah preached to those people, they changed their hearts and lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here!
Be a Light to the World
33 “No one takes a light and puts it under a bowl or hides it. Instead, he puts the light on a lampstand so that the people who come in can see. 34 Your eye is a light for the body. If your eyes are good, then your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are evil, then your whole body will be full of darkness. 35 So be careful! Don’t let the light in you become darkness. 36 If your whole body is full of light, and none of it is dark, then you will shine bright, as when a lamp shines on you.”
Jesus Accuses the Pharisees
37 After Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus went in and sat at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not wash his hands[e] before the meal. 39 The Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish. But inside you are full of greed and evil. 40 You are foolish. The same One who made what is outside also made what is inside. 41 So give what is in your cups and dishes to the poor. Then you will be fully clean. 42 But how terrible for you Pharisees! You give God one-tenth of even your mint, your rue, and every other plant in your garden. But you forget to be fair to other people and to love God. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things—like giving one-tenth. 43 How terrible for you Pharisees, because you love to get the most important seats in the synagogues. And you love people to show respect to you in the marketplaces. 44 How terrible for you, because you are like hidden graves. People walk on them without knowing it.”
Jesus Talks to Teachers of the Law
45 One of the teachers of the law said to Jesus, “Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us, too.”
46 Jesus answered, “How terrible for you, you teachers of the law! You make strict rules that are very hard for people to obey. But you yourselves don’t even try to follow those rules. 47 How terrible for you, because you build tombs for the prophets. But these are the prophets that your fathers killed! 48 And now you show that you approve of what your fathers did. They killed the prophets, and you build tombs for the prophets! 49 This is why in his wisdom God said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them. Some of my prophets and apostles will be killed, and others will be treated cruelly.’ 50 So you who live now will be punished for the deaths of all the prophets who were killed since the beginning of the world. 51 You will be punished for the killing of Abel and for the killing of Zechariah.[f] Zechariah was killed between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I tell you that you people who live now will be punished for them all.
52 “How terrible for you, you teachers of the law. You have hidden the key to learning about God. You yourselves would not learn, and you stopped others from learning, too.”
53 When Jesus was leaving, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to give him trouble, asking him questions about many things. 54 They were trying to catch Jesus saying something wrong.
Footnotes
- 11:2-4 ‘Father . . . tested.’ Some Greek copies include phrases from Matthew’s version of this prayer (Matthew 6:9–13).
- 11:11 for Some Greek copies include the phrase “for bread? Would any of you give him a stone? Or if he asks you for . . .” and continue to verse 12.
- 11:29 sign of Jonah Jonah’s three days in the big fish are like Jesus’ three days in the tomb.
- 11:31 Queen of the South The Queen of Sheba. She traveled 1,000 miles to learn God’s wisdom from Solomon. Read 1 Kings 10:1–3.
- 11:38 wash his hands This was a Jewish religious custom that the Pharisees thought was very important.
- 11:51 Abel . . . Zechariah In the Hebrew Old Testament, the first and last men to be murdered.
Luke 11
King James Version
11 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
