Chapter

Luke 11:10

ESV For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
NIV For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
NASB For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
CSB For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
NLT For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
KJV For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

What does Luke 11:10 mean?

This continues Jesus' comparison of God's generosity to that of an annoyed friend. He has told the disciples the parable of the persistent neighbor. In the middle of the night, a neighbor bangs on a man's door requesting bread for a traveling friend who has just arrived. The man doesn't want to get up and awaken his children, but the neighbor will not stop asking, seeking, and knocking for bread. Eventually, the man gets up and gets the bread (Luke 11:5–8).

Jesus says God will not be so reluctant. He is more than willing to fulfill the requests He outlined in the Lord's Prayer: those that align with the commission to His disciples to go out and preach the kingdom of God (Luke 11:1–4; 10:1–9). In this context, Jesus is talking about equipping His followers in ministry. If they ask for an open door to spread the message of the kingdom, they will receive it. The narrow door of Luke 13:22–30 is a different situation, talking about people who refuse to follow Jesus but expect to go to heaven. In that case, their request for an open door is too late.

Next, Jesus will compare God's graciousness with the natural love of a father. If a son asks for food, an earthly father will not give him a deadly animal. The disciples should understand that their heavenly Father will be even more generous (Luke 11:11–13).
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