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Luke 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.

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.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

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.

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;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

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.

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.

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.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

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?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

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?

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.

But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

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.

If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

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.

He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

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.

And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

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.

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.

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

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.

For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

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.

And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

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.

Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

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.

Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

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.

Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

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.

Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

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.

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.

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:

Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

What does Luke 11:9 mean?

Explanation

Luke 11:9 is a promise from Jesus, encouraging persistence in prayer with an assurance of a response from God.

The command is to "ask," to "seek," and to "knock." Literally, these terms are understood as different forms of making a request or pursuing a need.

The repetition of verbs in the imperative mood underscores the active nature of the believer’s role in prayer.

On a deeper level, the verse can be interpreted to be about the nature of prayer and God's receptivity to it.

"Ask" signifies the expression of need, "seek" suggests a deeper yearning or pursuit for answers or truth, and "knock" implies arriving at the door of what is sought after and awaiting entry, it represents a more intense form of request.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of the teachings of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

Luke was written to provide an orderly account of the events of Jesus' life and teachings, focusing on themes of mercy, healing, and a universal gospel.

Written in the context of a Greco-Roman society, where patron-client relationships were common, the concept of asking for and receiving help would have been familiar to the original audience.

Jesus is suggesting here that God is the ultimate patron, a generous giver ready to respond to those who come to Him seeking help.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Luke 11:9 illustrates several key ideas:

The nature of God: God is depicted as loving, generous, and responsive to His children.
The practice of prayer: Prayer is shown to be an active communication with God, with an emphasis on persistence.
Faith and trust: These are required to believe that prayer is not in vain, and that God will indeed provide an answer.

Different theological traditions emphasize various aspects of this verse.

For example, prosperity theology might underscore God’s willingness to give wealth and health, while more traditional views stress the verse’s demonstration of God's faithfulness and the appropriateness of turning to Him for spiritual needs.

Practical Applications

The teachings of this verse can be applied in daily life in several ways:

Encouragement to pray: Believers can take heart that they are invited to present their needs to God.
Persistence in faith: Followers are encouraged not to give up if answers do not come immediately.
Approach to problem-solving: This verse can inspire individuals to take active steps in seeking solutions, trusting that efforts are worthwhile.

Cross-References

Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Language Study

The original Greek words used in Luke 11:9 are:

"Ask" (αἰτεῖτε - aiteite): to ask, request, or demand.
"Seek" (ζητεῖτε - zēteite): to seek, try to find, desire to possess.
"Knock" (κρούετε - krouete): to knock, beat a door with a stick to gain attention.

The use of the present imperative form indicates that these actions should be continuous and persistent.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This verse could be compared to the teachings found in other cultures and religions that emphasize perseverance in spiritual practice and the pursuit of wisdom or enlightenment.

For instance, in Buddhism, one is encouraged to continually seek enlightenment, and in Hinduism, persistence in prayer and devotion to deities is commonly practiced.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives might examine the psychological benefits of persistent and optimistic practices, such as prayer, on individual well-being.

Studies have shown that prayer can have a positive effect on mental health, reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of peace and purpose.

Commentaries

Commentaries offer various interpretations of Luke 11:9:

Matthew Henry’s commentary emphasizes the encouragement Jesus provides for prayer, associating it with the certainty of God’s mercy.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the direct simplicity of the commands to ask, seek, and knock, which are accessible to all, regardless of status or education.
William Barclay highlights the Greek present tense, implying that asking, seeking, and knocking must be a continuous process.

Luke 11

Luke 11

What does Luke 11:9 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 11:9 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?