Luke 11
International Standard Version
Teaching about Prayer(A)
11 Once Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
2 So he told them, “Whenever you pray you are to say,
‘Father,[b] may your name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come.[c]
3 Keep giving us every day our daily bread,[d]
4 and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive everyone who sins against us.[e]
And never bring us into temptation.’”[f]
5 Then he told them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. 6 A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’ 7 Suppose he answers from inside, ‘Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom.[g] I can’t get up and give you anything!’ 8 I tell you, even though that man[h] doesn’t want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
Ask, Search, Knock(B)
9 So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door[i] will be opened for you, 10 because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door[j] opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish,[k] would give him a snake instead of the fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? 13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!”
Jesus is Accused of Working with Beelzebul(C)
14 Jesus[l] was driving a demon out of a man who was[m] unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man[n] began to speak, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, wanting to test Jesus,[o] kept asking him for a sign from heaven.
17 Since he knew what they were thinking, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is devastated, and a divided household collapses.[p] 18 Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers[q] drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! 20 But if I drive out demons by the power[r] of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe. 22 But when a stronger man than he attacks and defeats him, the stronger man[s] strips off that man’s armor in which he trusted and then divides his plunder.
23 “The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who doesn’t gather with me scatters.”
The Return of the Unclean Spirit(D)
24 “Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest but doesn’t find any. So it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ 25 When it gets back home, it finds it swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
True Blessedness
27 As Jesus[t] was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and told him, “How blessed is the womb that gave birth to you and the breasts that nursed you!”
28 But he said, “Instead, how blessed are those who hear God’s word and obey it!”
The Sign of Jonah(E)
29 Now as the crowds continued to throng around Jesus,[u] he went on to say, “This people living today are[v] an evil generation. It craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah, 30 because just as Jonah became a sign[w] to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation. 31 The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today,[x] because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, something greater than Solomon is here! 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today,[y] because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, something greater than Jonah is here!”
The Lamp of the Body(F)
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hiding place[z] or under a basket,[aa] but on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see its light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But when it’s evil, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, be careful that the light in you isn’t darkness. 36 Now if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”
Jesus Denounces the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law(G)
37 After Jesus[ab] had said this, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. So Jesus[ac] went and took his place at the table. 38 The Pharisee was surprised to see that he didn’t first wash before the meal. 39 But the Lord told him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but on the inside you are full of greed and evil. 40 You fools! The one who made the outside made the inside, too, didn’t he? 41 So give what is inside to the poor, and then everything will be clean for you.
42 “How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, spices, and every kind of herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.
43 How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You love to have the places of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplaces.
44 How terrible it will be for you! You are like unmarked graves—people walk on them without realizing it.”
45 Then one of the experts in the Law told him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us, too.”
46 Jesus[ad] said, “How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law, too! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you don’t even lift a finger to ease those burdens.
47 How terrible it will be for you! You build monuments for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them! 48 So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed those for whom you are building monuments. 49 That is why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. They will kill some of them and persecute others,’[ae] 50 so those living today[af] will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that was shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel[ag] to the blood of Zechariah,[ah] who died between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation!
52 How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in.”
53 As Jesus[ai] was leaving, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely, interrogating him about many things. 54 They watched him closely in an effort to trap him in something he might say.
Footnotes
- Luke 11:1 Lit. he
- Luke 11:2 Other mss. read Our Father in heaven
- Luke 11:2 Other mss. read kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
- Luke 11:3 Or our bread from above
- Luke 11:4 Lit. is indebted to us
- Luke 11:4 Other mss. read into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
- Luke 11:7 Lit. with me in the bed
- Luke 11:8 Lit. though he
- Luke 11:9 Lit. it
- Luke 11:10 Lit. it
- Luke 11:11 Other mss. read What father among you, if his son asks for a fish
- Luke 11:14 Lit. He
- Luke 11:14 Lit. driving out a demon that was
- Luke 11:14 Lit. the man who was unable to talk
- Luke 11:16 Lit. him
- Luke 11:17 Lit. and house falls on house
- Luke 11:19 Lit. sons
- Luke 11:20 Lit. finger
- Luke 11:22 Lit. him, he
- Luke 11:27 Lit. he
- Luke 11:29 Lit. him
- Luke 11:29 Lit. This generation is
- Luke 11:30 The Gk. lacks a sign
- Luke 11:31 Lit. condemn this generation
- Luke 11:32 Lit. condemn this generation
- Luke 11:33 Or cellar
- Luke 11:33 Other mss. lack or under a basket
- Luke 11:37 Lit. he
- Luke 11:37 Lit. he
- Luke 11:46 Lit. He
- Luke 11:49 The source of this quotation is unknown.
- Luke 11:50 Lit. 50 that this generation
- Luke 11:51 Cf. Gen 4:8
- Luke 11:51 Cf. 2Chr 24:20-21
- Luke 11:53 Lit. he
Luke 11
1599 Geneva Bible
11 1 He teacheth his Apostles to pray. 14 The dumb devil driven out. 27 A woman of the company lifted up her voice. 29 The Jews require signs. 37 He being feasted of the Pharisee, reproveth the outward show of holiness.
1 And so it was, 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 (A)And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, [a]Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come: Let thy will be done, even in earth, as it is in heaven:
3 Our daily bread give us [b]for the day:
4 And forgive us our sins: for even we forgive every man that is indebted to us: And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil.
5 ¶ [c]Moreover he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves?
6 For a friend of mine is come out of the way to me, and I have nothing to set before him:
7 And he within should answer, and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed: I cannot rise and give them to thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he would not arise and give him, because he is his friend, yet doubtless because of his [d]importunity, he would rise and give him as many as he needed.
9 (B)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 (C)For everyone that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
11 (D)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 ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?
13 If ye then which are evil, can give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that desire him?
14 ¶ (E)Then he cast out a devil which was dumb: and when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake, and the people wondered.
15 [e]But some of them said, (F)He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others tempted him, seeking of him a sign from heaven.
17 [f]But he knew their thoughts, and said unto them, (G)Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be desolate, and an house divided against an house, falleth.
18 So if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand, because ye say that I cast out devils [g]through Beelzebub?
19 If I through Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I by the [h]finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God is come unto you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his [i]palace, the things that he possesseth, are in peace.
22 But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, and overcometh him: he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 [j]He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
24 (H)[k]When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest: and when he findeth none, he saith, I will return unto mine 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 worse than himself: and they enter in, and dwell there: (I)so the last state of that man is worse than the first.
27 ¶ [l]And it came to pass as he said 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 ¶ (J)[m]And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is a wicked generation: they seek a sign, and there shall no sign be given them, but the sign of (K)Jonah the Prophet.
30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites: so shall also the son of man be to this generation.
31 (L)The Queen of the South shall rise in judgment, with the men of this generation, and shall 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 Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they (M)repented at the preaching of Jonah: and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
33 ¶ (N)[n]No man when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a privy place, neither under a bushel: but on a candlestick, that they which come in, may see the light.
34 (O)The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, then is thy whole body light: but if thine eye be evil, then thy body is dark.
35 Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee, be not darkness.
36 If therefore thy whole body shall be light, having no part dark, then shall all be light, even as when a candle doth light thee with the brightness.
37 ¶ [o]And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down at the table.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 (P)And the Lord said to him, Indeed ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup, and of the platter: but the 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 Therefore, give alms [p]of those things which you have, and behold, all things shall be clean unto you.
42 [q]But woe be to you, Pharisees: for ye [r]tithe the mint and the rue, and [s]all manner herbs, and pass over [t]judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone.
43 (Q)[u]Woe be to you, Pharisees: for ye love the uppermost seats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 [v]Woe be to you, Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites: (R)for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them, perceive not.
45 ¶ [w]Then answered one of the Lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou puttest us to rebuke also.
46 And he said, Woe be to you also, ye Lawyers: (S)for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 [x]Woe be to you: (T)for ye build the sepulchers of the Prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly [y]ye bear witness, and allow the deeds of your fathers: for they killed them, and ye build their sepulchers.
49 Therefore said the wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and of them they shall slay, and [z]persecute away,
50 That the blood of all the Prophets, [aa]shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,
51 From the blood of (U)Abel unto the blood of (V)Zechariah, which was slain between the altar and the Temple: verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation.
52 [ab]Woe be to you, Lawyers: for ye have [ac]taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that came in, ye forbade.
53 [ad]And as he said these things unto them, the Scribes and Pharisees began to urge him sore, and to [ae]provoke him to speak of many things,
54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something of his mouth, whereby they might accuse him.
Footnotes
- Luke 11:2 A form of true prayer.
- Luke 11:3 That is, as much as is needful for us this day, whereby we are not debarred to have an honest care for the maintenance of our lives; but that carping care, which killeth a number of men, is cut off and restrained.
- Luke 11:5 We must pray with faith.
- Luke 11:8 Word for word, impudency: but that impudency which is spoken of here, is not to be found fault withall, but is very commendable before God, for he liketh well of such importunity.
- Luke 11:15 An example of horrible blindness, and such as cannot be healed, when as upon an evil conscience, and pretended malice, the power of God is blasphemed.
- Luke 11:17 The true way to know the true Christ, from the false, is this, that the true Christ hath no accord or agreement with Satan: And it remaineth that after we know him, we acknowledge him.
- Luke 11:18 By the name and power of Beelzebub.
- Luke 11:20 That is, by the power of God: so it is said, Exod. 8:19.
- Luke 11:21 The word signifieth properly an open and void room before an house, and so by translation is taken for noblemen’s houses.
- Luke 11:23 Against indifferent men, and such as love to have a mean, which seek means to reconcile Christ and Satan together.
- Luke 11:24 He that doth not continue, is in worse case, than he that never began.
- Luke 11:27 Christ seeketh not praise in himself, but in our salvation.
- Luke 11:29 They that are fond desireres of miracles, instead of miracles shall receive punishment.
- Luke 11:33 Our minds are therefore lightened with the knowledge of God, that we should give light unto others, and therefore our chiefest labor ought to be to pray for that light.
- Luke 11:37 The service of God consisteth not in outward cleanliness, and devised rites or ceremonies, but in the spiritual righteousness of the heart, and charity.
- Luke 11:41 That is, according to your abilities as who would say, instead of your extortions, which hindered you, that you could not eat cleanly, use charity, and accordingly as your ability shall serve you, be good to the poor, and so shall that, that is within the platter, be sanctified though the platter be unwashed.
- Luke 11:42 It is the propense of hypocrites, to stand stoutly for little trifles, and let pass greater matters.
- Luke 11:42 You decide by God’s Law that the tenth part is due to be paid.
- Luke 11:42 Of all kind of herbs some, as Augustine expoundeth it in his Enchiridion to Laurence, chap. 99, where he showeth in like sort how that place of Paul, 1 Tim. 2:4, God will have all men to be saved, is to be expoundeth after the same manner.
- Luke 11:42 That is to say, that that is right and reason to do: for this word, Judgment, containeth the commandments of the second table, and the other words, The love of God, contain the first.
- Luke 11:43 Hypocrisy and ambition are commonly joined together.
- Luke 11:44 Hypocrites deceive men with an outward show.
- Luke 11:45 Hypocrites are very severe against other men, but think all things lawful to themselves.
- Luke 11:47 Hypocrites honor those saints when they are dead, whom they most cruelly persecute, when they were alive.
- Luke 11:48 When you persecute God’s servants, like mad men, even as your fathers did, though you color it with a pretence of godliness, yet notwithstanding, in that you beautify the sepulchers of the Prophets, what do you else, but glory in your fathers’ cruelty, and set up monuments (as it were) in glory and triumph of it?
- Luke 11:49 They shall so vex them and trouble them, that at length they shall banish them.
- Luke 11:50 That you may be called to an account for it, yea, and be punished, for the shedding of that blood of the Prophet.
- Luke 11:52 They have of long time chiefly hindered the people, from entering into the knowledge of God, which ought to be the doorkeepers of the Church.
- Luke 11:52 You have hidden and taken away, so that it cannot be found anywhere.
- Luke 11:53 The more the world is reprehended, the worse it is, and yet must we not betray the truth.
- Luke 11:53 They proposed many questions to him, to draw something out of his mouth, which they might traitorously carp at.
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.
Luke 11
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Lord’s Prayer
11 On another occasion, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven,[a] hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.[b] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”[d]
Keep Praying
5 He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine who is on a journey has come to me, and I do not have anything to set before him.’ 7 And the one inside replies, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ 8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his bold persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
11 “What father among you, if your son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Jesus Drives Out Demons
14 Jesus drove out a demon, which was mute. After the demon had gone 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, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others were testing him by demanding of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed. And a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? You say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So they will be your judges. 20 Yet if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks him and defeats him, he takes away that man’s full armor, in which he had trusted, and divides up his plunder.
23 “The one who is not with me is against me. The one who does not gather with me scatters. 24 When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, but does not find any. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house, the one I left.’ 25 When it returns, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and dwell there. The last condition of that man becomes worse than the first.”
The Sign of Jonah
27 While he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
28 But he said, “Even more blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
29 As the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It is seeking a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, one 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 the preaching of Jonah. But look, one greater than Jonah is here.
A Lamp and a Lampstand
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a stand so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, see to it that the light that is in you is not darkness. 36 So if your whole body is full of light, without any dark part, it will be completely full of light, as when a lamp shines on you with bright light.”
Woes and Warnings
37 After Jesus spoke, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. He went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first wash[e] before the meal. 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 and wickedness. 40 Fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside? 41 But give those things that are inside as a gift to the poor, and see, everything will be clean for you. 42 But woe to you Pharisees, because you give a tenth of mint and rue and every herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the best seat in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”
45 One of the legal experts answered him, “Teacher, by saying these things you are insulting us too.”
46 But Jesus said, “Woe to you legal experts too, because you load people down with burdens too difficult to carry, and you yourselves do not touch these burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you because you build monuments for the prophets, but your fathers killed them. 48 So you are witnesses and agree with what your fathers did, because they killed them, and you build their monuments. 49 For this reason the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. Some of them they will kill and persecute, 50 so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52 Woe to you legal experts, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were trying to enter.”
53 When he went away from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to question him closely about many things. 54 They were plotting against him to trap him in something he said.[f]
Footnotes
- Luke 11:2 Some witnesses to the text omit Our and in heaven.
- Luke 11:2 Some witnesses to the text omit Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
- Luke 11:4 Literally everyone who is indebted to us
- Luke 11:4 A few witnesses to the text omit but deliver us from evil. See the footnote on Matthew 6:13 for the traditional ending of the Lord’s Prayer.
- Luke 11:38 Greek baptizo (translated baptize in other contexts)
- Luke 11:54 Some witnesses to the text add so they could accuse him.
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