Luke 11

The Lord’s Prayer—Matthew 6:9–13

1 Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.”2 Jesus told them, “When you pray, say this:Father,let your name be kept holy.Let your kingdom come.3 Give us our bread day by day.4 Forgive us as we forgive everyone else.Don’t allow us to be tempted.”

The Power of Prayer—Matthew 7:7–11

5 Jesus said to his disciples, “Suppose one of you has a friend. Suppose you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.6 A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’7 Your friend might answer you from inside his house, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’

8 I can guarantee that although he doesn’t want to get up to give you anything, he will get up and give you whatever you need because he is your friend and because you were so bold.
9 “So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.

10 Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “If your child asks you, his father, for a fish, would you give him a snake instead?12 Or if your child asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?

13 Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Jesus Is Accused of Working With Beelzebul—Matthew 12:22–32, 43–45; Mark 3:20–30

14 Jesus was forcing a demon out of a man. The demon had made the man unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to talk.The people were amazed.15 But some of them said, “He can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.”

16 Others wanted to test Jesus and demanded that he show them some miraculous sign from heaven.
17 Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. A house divided against itself falls.18 Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? I say this because you say Beelzebul helps me force demons out of people.19 If I force demons out with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges.

20 But if I force out demons with the help of God’s power, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe.

22 But a stronger man than he may attack him and defeat him. Then the stronger man will take away all the weapons in which the strong man trusted and will divide the loot.
23 “Whoever isn’t with me is against me. Whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters.24 “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the home I left.’25 When it comes, it finds the house swept clean and in order.

26 Then the spirit goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before.”

The Sign of Jonah—Matthew 12:38–42

27 While Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd shouted, “How blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and the breasts that nursed you.”28 Jesus replied, “Rather, how blessed are those who hear and obey God’s word.”29 As the people were gathering around him, Jesus said, “The people living today are evil. They look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will get is the sign of Jonah.30 Just as Jonah became a miraculous sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a miraculous sign to the people living today.31 The queen from the south will stand up at the time of judgment with the men who live today. She will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But look, someone greater than Solomon is here!

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the time of judgment with the people living today. Since the men of Nineveh turned to God and changed the way they thought and acted when Jonah spoke his message, they will condemn the people living today. But look, someone greater than Jonah is here!

Jesus Talks About Light

33 “No one lights a lamp and hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see its light.34 “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is unclouded, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness.35 So be careful that the light in you isn’t darkness.

36 If your whole body is full of light and not darkness, it will be as bright as a lamp shining on you.”

Jesus Criticizes Some Jewish Leaders

37 After Jesus spoke, a Pharisee invited him to have lunch at his house. So Jesus accepted the invitation.

38 The Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus didn’t wash before the meal.
39 The Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside you are full of greed and evil.40 You fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside too?

41 Give what is inside as a gift to the poor, and then everything will be cleant for you.
42 “How horrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give God one-tenth of your mint, spices, and every garden herb. But you have ignored justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without ignoring the others.43 “How horrible it will be for you Pharisees! You love to sit in the front seats in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplaces.

44 How horrible it will be for you! You are like unmarked graves. People walk on them without knowing what they are.”
45 One of the experts in Moses’ Teachings said to him, “Teacher, when you talk this way, you insult us too.”46 Jesus said, “How horrible it will be for you experts in Moses’ Teachings! You burden people with loads that are hard to carry. But you won’t lift a finger to carry any of these loads.47 “How horrible it will be for you! You build the monuments for the prophets. But it was your ancestors who murdered them.48 So you are witnesses and approve of what your ancestors did. They murdered the prophets for whom you build monuments.49 That’s why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. They will murder some of those prophets and apostles and persecute others.’50 So the people living now will be charged with the murder of every prophet since the world was made.

51 This includes the murders from Abel to Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the temple. Yes, I can guarantee this truth: The people living today will be held responsible for this.
52 “How horrible it will be for you experts in Moses’ Teachings! You have taken away the key that unlocks knowledge. You haven’t gained entrance into knowledge yourselves, and you’ve kept out those who wanted to enter.”53 When Jesus left, the scribes and the Pharisees held a terrible grudge against him. They questioned him about many things

54 and watched him closely to trap him in something he might say.

Luke 11

1 And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples.2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.3 Give us day by day our daily bread.4 And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation.5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;6 for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;7 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?8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth.9 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.10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.11 And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent?12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?13 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?14 And he was casting out a demon that was dumb. And it came to pass, when the demon was gone out, the dumb man spake; and the multitudes marvelled.15 But some of them said, By Beelzebub the prince of the demons casteth he out demons.16 And others, trying him, sought of him a sign from heaven.17 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.18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.20 But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.21 When the strong man fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in peace:22 but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him his whole armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.23 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.24 The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house whence I came out.25 And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more evil than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first.27 And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck.28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah.30 For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.32 The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.33 No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light.34 The lamp of thy body is thine eye: when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when it is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.35 Look therefore whether the light that is in thee be not darkness.36 If therefore thy whole body be full of light, having no part dark, it shall be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining doth give thee light.37 Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first bathed himself before dinner.39 And the Lord said unto him, Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.40 Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also?41 But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.42 But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.43 Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces.44 Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not.45 And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Teacher, in saying this thou reproachest us also.46 And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.47 Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.48 So ye are witnesses and consent unto the works of your fathers: for they killed them, and ye build their tombs.49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and some of them they shall kill and persecute;50 that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;51 from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary: yea, I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation.52 Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.53 And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things;54 laying wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth.