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11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for[a] a fish, would give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asked for an egg, would give a scorpion? 13 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit[b] to those who ask him!”

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Footnotes

  1. 11.11 Other ancient authorities add bread, will give a stone? Or if your child asks for
  2. 11.13 Other ancient authorities read the Father give the Holy Spirit from heaven

11 What father among you, if your[a] son asks for[b] a fish, will give him a snake[c] instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?[d] 13 If you then, although you are[e] evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit[f] to those who ask him!”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:11 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  2. Luke 11:11 tc Most mss (א A C D L W Θ Ψ ƒ1,13 33 M lat syc,p,h bo) have “bread, does not give him a stone instead, or” before “a fish”; the longer reading, however, looks like a harmonization to Matt 7:9. The shorter reading is thus preferred, attested by P45,75 B 1241 sys sa.
  3. Luke 11:11 sn The snake probably refers to a water snake.
  4. Luke 11:12 sn The two questions of vv. 11-12 expect the answer, “No father would do this!”
  5. Luke 11:13 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντες (huparchontes) has been translated as a concessive participle.
  6. Luke 11:13 sn The provision of the Holy Spirit is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. Some apply it to the general provision of the Spirit, but this would seem to look only at one request in a context that speaks of repeated asking. The teaching as a whole stresses not that God gives everything his children want, but that God gives the good that they need. The parallel account in Matthew (7:11) refers to good things where Luke mentions the Holy Spirit.