Luke.11.5

Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread.

Luke.11.5

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

Luke.11.5

And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves;

Luke.11.5

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him,

Luke.11.6

An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.'

Luke.11.6

because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

Luke.11.6

for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

Luke.11.6

'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'

Luke.11.7

"The friend answers from his bed, "Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.'

Luke.11.7

"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'

Luke.11.7

and he will answer from within and say, "Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?

Luke.11.7

He would call out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can't help you this time.'

Luke.11.8

"But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need.

Luke.11.8

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

Luke.11.8

I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Luke.11.8

But I tell you this--though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged.

Luke.11.9

"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open.

Luke.11.9

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Luke.11.9

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Luke.11.9

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.

Luke.11.10

"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in.

Luke.11.10

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke.11.10

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Luke.11.10

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.

Luke.11.11

If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate?

Luke.11.11

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?

Luke.11.11

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

Luke.11.11

"You fathers--if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?

Luke.11.12

If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider?

Luke.11.12

Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Luke.11.12

Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luke.11.12

Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!

Luke.11.13

As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing--you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

Luke.11.13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke.11.13

If you then, being 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!"

Luke.11.13

If you sinful people 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."

Luke.11.14

Jesus delivered a man from a demon that had kept him speechless. The demon gone, the man started talking a blue streak, taking the crowd by complete surprise.

Luke.11.14

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.

Luke.11.14

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

Luke.11.14

One day Jesus cast a demon out of a man who couldn't speak, and the man's voice returned to him. The crowd was amazed,

Luke.11.15

But some from the crowd were cynical. "Black magic," they said. "Some devil trick he's pulled from his sleeve."

Luke.11.15

But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."

Luke.11.15

But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

Luke.11.15

but some said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons!"

Luke.11.16

Others were skeptical, waiting around for him to prove himself with a spectacular miracle.

Luke.11.16

Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

Luke.11.16

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

Luke.11.16

Trying to test Jesus, others asked for a miraculous sign from heaven to see if he was from God.

Luke.11.17

Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces.

Luke.11.17

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.

Luke.11.17

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

Luke.11.17

He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A divided home is also doomed.

Luke.11.18

If Satan cancels Satan, is there any Satan left? You accuse me of ganging up with the Devil, the prince of demons, to cast out demons,

Luke.11.18

If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.

Luke.11.18

If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

Luke.11.18

You say I am empowered by the prince of demons. But if Satan is fighting against himself by empowering me to cast out his demons, how can his kingdom survive?

Luke.11.19

but if you're slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil who kicks out devils, doesn't the same mud stick to your own exorcists?

Luke.11.19

Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

Luke.11.19

And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

Luke.11.19

And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said.

Luke.11.20

But if it's God's finger I'm pointing that sends the demons on their way, then God's kingdom is here for sure.

Luke.11.20

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Luke.11.20

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke.11.20

But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

Luke.11.21

"When a strong man, armed to the teeth, stands guard in his front yard, his property is safe and sound.

Luke.11.21

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.

Luke.11.21

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

Luke.11.21

For when Satan, who is completely armed, guards his palace, it is safe--

Luke.11.22

But what if a stronger man comes along with superior weapons? Then he's beaten at his own game, the arsenal that gave him such confidence hauled off, and his precious possessions plundered.

Luke.11.22

But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

Luke.11.22

But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

Luke.11.22

until someone who is stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

Luke.11.23

"This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse.

Luke.11.23

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

Luke.11.23

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Luke.11.23

"Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.

Luke.11.24

"When a corrupting spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn't find anyone, it says, "I'll go back to my old haunt.'

Luke.11.24

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.'

Luke.11.24

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, "I will return to my house from which I came.'

Luke.11.24

"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.'

Luke.11.25

On return, it finds the person swept and dusted, but vacant.

Luke.11.25

When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

Luke.11.25

And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.

Luke.11.25

So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and clean.

Luke.11.26

It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits dirtier than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse than if he'd never gotten cleaned up in the first place."

Luke.11.26

Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

Luke.11.26

Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

Luke.11.26

Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before."

Luke.11.27

While he was saying these things, some woman lifted her voice above the murmur of the crowd: "Blessed the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!"

Luke.11.27

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."

Luke.11.27

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"

Luke.11.27

As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, "God bless your mother--the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!"

Luke.11.28

Jesus commented, "Even more blessed are those who hear God's Word and guard it with their lives!"

Luke.11.28

He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Luke.11.28

But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

Luke.11.28

He replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."

Luke.11.29

As the crowd swelled, he took a fresh tack: "The mood of this age is all wrong. Everybody's looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind. All you're looking for is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. But the only proof you're going to get is the Jonah-proof given to the Ninevites, which looks like no proof at all.

Luke.11.29

As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

Luke.11.29

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Luke.11.29

As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, "These are evil times, and this evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Luke.11.30

What Jonah was to Nineveh, the Son of Man is to this age.

Luke.11.30

For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Luke.11.30

For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

Luke.11.30

What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to me will be a sign that God has sent me, the Son of Man, to these people.

Luke.11.31

"On Judgment Day the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about "proofs.'

Luke.11.31

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

Luke.11.31

The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

Luke.11.31

"The queen of Sheba will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here--and you refuse to listen to him.

Luke.11.32

On Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that condemns this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon's is right in front of you, and you quibble over "evidence.'

Luke.11.32

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Luke.11.32

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

Luke.11.32

The people of Nineveh, too, will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here--and you refuse to repent.