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Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.[a]

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:8 Or in order to avoid shame, or so his reputation won’t be damaged.

· kai He said legō to pros them autos, “ Suppose one tis of ek you hymeis has echō a friend philos, and kai you go poreuō to pros him autos at midnight mesonyktion and kai say legō to him autos, ‘ Friend philos, lend kichrēmi me egō three treis loaves artos of bread , since epeidē a friend philos of mine egō has come paraginomai to pros me egō from ek a journey hodos and kai I do not ou have echō anything hos to set paratithēmi before him autos’; and kakeinos he from inside esōthen answers apokrinomai, saying legō, ‘ Do parechō not cause parechō me egō trouble kopos; already ēdē the ho door thura has been locked kleiō and kai · ho my egō children paidion are eimi with meta me egō in eis · ho bed koitē. I cannot ou get anistēmi up and give didōmi you sy anything.’ I say legō to you hymeis, even kai though ei he will not ou get up anistēmi and give didōmi him autos anything because dia · ho he is eimi his autos friend philos, yet ge because dia of the ho prospect anaideia of being put to shame he autos will get egeirō up and give didōmi him autos as hosos much as he needs chrēzō.

So kagō to you hymeis I say legō, ask aiteō and kai it will be given didōmi to you hymeis; seek zēteō and kai you will find heuriskō; knock krouō and kai it will be opened anoigō for you hymeis. 10 For gar everyone pas who ho asks aiteō receives lambanō, and kai everyone who ho seeks zēteō finds heuriskō, and kai for everyone who ho knocks krouō it will be opened anoigō.

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