Luke 11

Teaching the disciples to pray

1 Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

2 Jesus told them, "When you pray, say:
‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name.
Bring in your kingdom.
3 Give us the bread we need for today.

4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who has wronged us.
And don’t lead us into temptation.’"
5 He also said to them, “Imagine that one of you has a friend and you go to that friend in the middle of the night. Imagine saying, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread6 because a friend of mine on a journey has arrived and I have nothing to set before him.’7 Imagine further that he answers from within the house, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’8 I assure you, even if he wouldn’t get up and help because of his friendship, he will get up and give his friend whatever he needs because of his friend’s brashness.9 And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened.
11 "Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish?12 If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion?

13 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

Controversy over Beelzebul

14 Jesus was throwing out a demon that causes muteness. When the demon was gone, the man who couldn’t speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed.15 But some of them said, "He throws out demons with the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons."

16 Others were testing him, seeking a sign from heaven.
17 Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland, and a house torn apart by divisions will collapse.18 If Satan is at war with himself, how will his kingdom endure? I ask this because you say that I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul.19 If I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges.20 But if I throw out demons by the powert of God, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you.21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are secure.

22 But as soon as a stronger one attacks and overpowers him, the stronger one takes away the armor he had trusted and divides the stolen goods.
23 "Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me, scatters.24 When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’25 When it arrives, it finds the house cleaned up and decorated.

26 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning."

On seeking signs

27 While Jesus was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd spoke up: "Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and who nursed you."

28 But he said, "Happy rather are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice."
29 When the crowds grew, Jesus said, “This generation is an evil generation. It looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except Jonah’s sign.30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Human Onet will be a sign to this generation.31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from a distant land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here.

32 The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their hearts and lives in response to Jonah’s preaching—and one greater than Jonah is here.
33 "People don’t light a lamp and then put it in a closet or under a basket. Rather, they place the lamp on a lampstand so that those who enter the house can see the light.34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is full of darkness.35 Therefore, see to it that the light in you isn’t darkness.

36 If your whole body is full of light—with no part darkened—then it will be as full of light as when a lamp shines brightly on you."

Jesus condemns Pharisees and legal experts

37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to share a meal with him, so Jesus went and took his place at the table.

38 When the Pharisee saw that Jesus didn’t ritually purify his hands by washing before the meal, he was astonished.
39 The Lord said to him, “Now, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and platter, but your insides are stuffed with greed and wickedness.40 Foolish people! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside?

41 Therefore, give to those in need from the core of who you are and you will be clean all over.

42 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and garden herbs of all kinds, while neglecting justice and love for God. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.

43 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the most prominent seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

44 "How terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves and people walk on them without recognizing it."

45 One of the legal experts responded, "Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us too."

46 Jesus said, “How terrible for you legal experts too! You load people down with impossible burdens and you refuse to lift a single finger to help them.
47 “How terrible for you! You built memorials to the prophets, whom your ancestors killed.48 In this way, you testify that you approve of your ancestors’ deeds. They killed the prophets, and you build memorials!49 Therefore, God’s wisdom has said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them and they will harass and kill some of them.’50 As a result, this generation will be charged with the murder of all the prophets since the beginning of time.

51 This includes the murder of every prophet—from Abel to Zechariah—who was killed between the altar and the holy place. Yes, I’m telling you, this generation will be charged with it.

52 "How terrible for you legal experts! You snatched away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter yourselves and you stood in the way of those who were entering."
53 As he left there, the legal experts and Pharisees began to resent him deeply and to ask him pointed questions about many things.

54 They plotted against him, trying to trap him in his words.

Luke 11

Instructions on Prayer

1 Nowt Jesust was praying in a certain place. Whent he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as Johns taughts his disciples.”

2 So he said to them, “When you pray,s say:
Father,ss may your name be honored;t
may your kingdom come.ss

3 Give us each day our daily bread,t

4 and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sinst against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”sts
5 Thent he said to them, “Suppose one of yout has a friend, and you go to himt at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,t6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey,t and I have nothing to set befores him.’7 Thent he will replyt from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed.t I cannot get up and give you anything.’t

8 I tell you, even though the man insidet will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’st sheer persistencet he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 “Sot I tell you: Ask,s and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the doort will be opened for you.10 For everyone who askss receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the doort will be opened.11 What father among you, if yourt son asks fors a fish, will give him a snakes instead of a fish?12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?s

13 If you then, although you aret evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirits to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul

14 Nowt he was casting out a demon that was mute.t Whent the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak,s and the crowds were amazed.15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul,ts the rulert of demons, he casts out demons.”16 Others, to testt him,t began asking fort a signs from heaven.17 But Jesus,t realizing their thoughts, said to them,s “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,t and a divided household falls.t18 Sot ift Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this becauset you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sonss cast themt out? Therefore they will be your judges.20 But if I cast out demons by the fingers of God, then the kingdom of Gods has already overtakent you.21 When a strong man,t fully armed, guards his own palace,t his possessions are safe.t22 Butt when a stronger mant attackst and conquers him, he takes away the first man’st armor on which the man reliedt and divides upt his plunder.s

23 Whoever is not with me is against me,s and whoever does not gather with me scatters.s

Response to Jesus’ Work

24 “When an unclean spirits goes out of a person,t it passes through waterless placess looking for rest butt not finding any. Thens it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’t25 When it returns,t it finds the houset swept clean and put in order.s

26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, sot the last state of that persont is worse than the first.”s
27 Ast he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke outt to him, “Blessed is the wombt that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”s

28 But he replied,t “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obeys it!”

The Sign of Jonah

29 Ast the crowds were increasing, Jesust began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign,s but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.s30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh,t so the Son of Man will be a signt to this generation.s31 The queen of the Souths will rise up at the judgments with the peoplet of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now,t something greaters than Solomon is here!

32 The peoplet of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to themts – and now,t something greater than Jonah is here!

Internal Light

33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden placet or under a basket,st but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light.34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy,t your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased,ts your body is full of darkness.35 Therefore see to itt that the light in yous is not darkness.

36 Ift thent your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark,t it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”t

Rebuking the Pharisees and Experts in the Law

37 As he spoke,t a Pharisees invited Jesust to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table.t38 Thet Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesust did not first wash his handsts before the meal.39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleans the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.t40 You fools!s Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well?t

41 But give from your heart to those in need,ts andt then everything will be clean for you.s
42 “But woe to you Pharisees!t You give a tentht of your mint,s rue,ts and every herb, yet you neglect justices and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.t43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seatst in the synagoguess and elaborate greetingsts in the marketplaces!

44 Woe to you!s You are like unmarked graves, and peoplet walk over them without realizing it!”s
45 One of the experts in religious laws answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insultt us too.”46 But Jesust replied,t “Woe to you experts in religious law as well!t You load peoplet down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to toucht the burdens with even one of your fingers!47 Woe to you! You builds the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestorst killed.48 So you testify that you approve oft the deeds of your ancestors,t because they killed the prophetst and you build theirt tombs!s49 For this reason also the wisdoms of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’50 so that this generation may be held accountablet for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginningt of the world,t51 from the blood of Abels to the blood of Zechariah,s who was killedt between the altar and the sanctuary.t Yes, I tell you, it will be charged againstt this generation.

52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken aways the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hinderedt those who were going in.”
53 When he went out from there, the experts in the lawt and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly,t and to ask him hostile questionst about many things,

54 plotting againstt him, to catcht him in something he might say.