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Read the Bible

King James Version

Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Commandments;   Penitent;   Prayer;   Religion;   Righteous;   Seekers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Prayer;   The Topic Concordance - Finding;   Prayer;   Receiving;   Seeking;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Adoption;   Gifts of God, the;   Prayer;   Prayer, Answers to;   Seeking God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Prayer;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Sermon on the mount;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Prayer;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Knock;   Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Esau;   James;   James, the General Epistle of;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judge (Office);   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - James, Epistle of;   Mss;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Communion (2);   Gift;   James ;   Knocking;   Luke, Gospel According to;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Mental Characteristics;   Prayer (2);   Promise (2);   Providence;   Quotations (2);   Redemption (2);   Rest (2);   Salvation;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Sermon on the Mount;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Trinity (2);   Vain;   Violence;   Winter ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ask;   James, Epistle of;   Knock;   Prayer;   Sermon on the Mount, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bannaah, Bannay, Bannayah;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for August 20;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for June 26;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Ask,
King James Version (1611)
Aske, and it shalbe giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
English Standard Version
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
New American Standard Bible
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
New Century Version
"Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.
Amplified Bible
"Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Aske, and it shall be giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Berean Standard Bible
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Contemporary English Version
Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
Darby Translation
Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you.
George Lamsa Translation
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.
Good News Translation
"Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Lexham English Bible
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you.
Literal Translation
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
American Standard Version
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Bible in Basic English
Make a request, and it will be answered; what you are searching for you will get; give the sign, and the door will be open to you:
Hebrew Names Version
"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.
International Standard Version
"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the doorit">[fn] will be opened for you.Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1; John 14:13; 15:7; 16:23-24; James 1:5-6; 1 John 3:22; 5:14-15;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Murdock Translation
Ask, and it shall be given to you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Aske, and it shalbe geuen you: seke, and ye shall fynde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
English Revised Version
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
World English Bible
"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.
Weymouth's New Testament
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Axe ye, and it schal be youun to you; seke ye, and ye schulen fynde; knocke ye, and it schal be openyd to you.
Update Bible Version
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:
Webster's Bible Translation
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you:
New English Translation
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.
New King James Version
Luke 11:9-13">[xr] "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
New Living Translation
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
New Life Bible
"Ask, and what you are asking for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you.
New Revised Standard
"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be asking, and it shall be given you, Be seeking, and ye shall find, - Be knocking, and it shall be opened unto you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Revised Standard Version
"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Axe and it shalbe geven you. Seke and ye shall fynd. knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you.
Young's Literal Translation
`Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Axe, and it shalbe geuen you: Seke, and ye shall fynde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and the door shall be opened.
THE MESSAGE
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
Simplified Cowboy Version
"If you need somethin', keep tellin' the Boss about it and you will get it. If you keep lookin' for the cows in the pasture, you will find them if you don't give up. If you keep knockin' on the barn door, he will open it for you.

Contextual Overview

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and it: Matthew 7:11, Matthew 21:22, 1 Kings 3:5, Psalms 10:17, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 86:5, Psalms 145:18, Psalms 145:19, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7, Jeremiah 29:12, Jeremiah 29:13, Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24, Luke 11:9, Luke 11:10, Luke 11:13, Luke 18:1, John 4:10, John 14:13, John 14:14, John 15:7, John 15:16, John 16:23, John 16:24, James 1:5, James 1:6, James 5:15, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15, Revelation 3:17, Revelation 3:18

seek: Matthew 6:33, Psalms 10:4, Psalms 27:8, Psalms 69:32, Psalms 70:4, Psalms 105:3, Psalms 105:4, Psalms 119:12, Proverbs 8:17, Song of Solomon 3:2, Amos 5:4, Romans 2:7, Romans 3:11, Hebrews 11:6

knock: Luke 13:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:31 - General Genesis 18:32 - I will not Genesis 20:17 - General Genesis 24:45 - before Genesis 26:32 - We have Exodus 33:7 - sought Judges 13:9 - hearkened 1 Samuel 1:27 - For this 1 Samuel 23:11 - And the Lord 1 Kings 2:20 - Ask on 1 Chronicles 4:10 - God granted 1 Chronicles 16:10 - let the heart 1 Chronicles 28:9 - if thou seek 2 Chronicles 1:7 - Ask 2 Chronicles 12:14 - to seek 2 Chronicles 15:2 - if ye seek him 2 Chronicles 33:13 - he was entreated Ezra 8:23 - and he was entreated Job 8:5 - thou wouldest Job 21:15 - if we Psalms 3:4 - I cried Psalms 27:4 - seek Psalms 34:4 - sought Proverbs 2:5 - shalt Song of Solomon 3:4 - but Isaiah 30:19 - he will Isaiah 58:9 - shalt thou Ezekiel 36:37 - I will yet Zephaniah 2:3 - Seek ye Zechariah 10:1 - ye Matthew 6:5 - when Matthew 7:24 - whosoever Matthew 20:31 - but they cried Mark 10:51 - What Luke 18:39 - but Acts 8:22 - pray Acts 9:11 - for Acts 10:2 - and prayed Philippians 4:6 - in Hebrews 4:16 - obtain James 4:2 - because James 5:16 - The effectual 1 Peter 1:17 - call

Cross-References

Genesis 6:18
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
Genesis 7:1
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Genesis 7:13
In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
Genesis 7:15
And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Matthew 24:38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Luke 17:27
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
1 Peter 3:20
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ask and it shall be given you,.... This is to be understood of asking of God in prayer, for such things as are wanting; whether of a temporal nature, as food and raiment, which Christ, in the former chapter, had warned against an immoderate and anxious concern for; or of a spiritual nature, as grace, and wisdom to behave in a proper manner, both towards God and men: and such, who ask according to the will of God, in the name of Christ, and under the direction, guidance, and influence of the Spirit, who ask in faith and fear, and with submission to the divine will, shall have what they ask for; not as what they deserve, but as a free gift.

Seek, and ye shall find. This is still meant of prayer, and of seeking God, his face and favour: which such shall find, who seek in a right way, by Christ, and with their whole hearts, diligently:

knock and it shall be opened unto you as beggars do, who use much importunity for relief and assistance. So men should stand and knock at the door of mercy, which will not always be shut against them. Faith in prayer is a key that opens this door, when a poor soul finds grace and mercy to help it in time of need. Our Lord's design is to express the nature, fervour, and constancy of prayer, and to encourage to it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ask, and it shall be given you ... - There are here three different forms presented of seeking the things which we need from God - asking, ‘seeking, and knocking. The latter is taken from the act of knocking at a door for admittance. See Luke 13:25; Revelation 3:20. The phrases signify to seek with earnestness, diligence, and perseverance. The promise is, that what we seek shall be given us. It is of course implied that we seek with a proper spirit, with humility, sincerity, and perseverance. It is implied, also, that we ask the things which it may be consistent for God to give - that is, things which he has promised to give, and which would be best for us, and most for his own honor, 1 John 5:14. Of that God is to be the judge. And here there is the utmost latitude which a creature can ask. God is willing to provide for us, to forgive our sins, to save our souls, to befriend us in trial, to comfort us in death, to extend the gospel through the world. Man “can” ask no higher things of God; and these he may ask, assured that he is willing to grant them.

Christ encourages us to do this by the conduct of parents. No parent turns away his child with that which would be injurious. He would not give him a stone instead of bread, or a serpent instead of a fish. God is better and kinder than the most tender earthly parents; and with what confidence, therefore, may we come as his children, and ask what we need! Parents, he says, are evil; that is, are imperfect, often partial, and not unfrequently passionate; but God is free from all this, and therefore is ready and willing to aid us.

Every one that asketh receiveth - That is, every one that asks aright; that prays in faith, and in submission to the will of God. He does not always give the very thing which we ask, but he gives what would be better. A parent will not always confer the “very thing” which a child asks, but he will seek the welfare of the child, and give what he thinks will be most for its good. Paul asked that the thorn from his flesh might be removed. God did not “literally” grant the request, but told him that his “grace” should be “sufficient” for him. See the notes at 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.

A fish - A fish has some resemblance to a serpent; yet no parent would attempt to deceive his child in this. So God will not give to us that which might appear to be of use, but which would be injurious.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 7:7. Ask - seek - knock — These three words include the ideas of want, loss, and earnestness. Ask: turn, beggar at, the door of mercy; thou art destitute of all spiritual good, and it is God alone who can give it to thee; and thou hast no claim but what his mercy has given thee on itself.

Seek: Thou hast lost thy God, thy paradise, thy soul. - Look about thee - leave no stone unturned there is no peace, no final salvation for thee till thou get thy soul restored to the favour and image of God.

Knock: Be in earnest - be importunate: Eternity is at hand! and, if thou die in thy sins, where God is thou shalt never come.

Ask with confidence and humility.

Seek with care and application.

Knock with earnestness and perseverance.


 
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