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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Luke 11:9

"And so I tell you, 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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   Penitent;   Prayer;   Righteous;   Seekers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Answer Promised;   Ask;   Christ;   Church;   Family;   Gifts;   God's;   Importunity;   Prayer;   Promises, Divine;   Secret Prayer;   Seekers;   United Prayer;   Unwise Prayers;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - Finding;   Holy Spirit;   Prayer;   Receiving;   Seeking;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Parables;   Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Father;   Prayer;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Lord's Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lord's Prayer, the;   Luke, Gospel of;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Parable;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Character;   Discourse;   Force;   Importunity;   Intercession ;   Luke, Gospel According to;   Personality;   Prayer (2);   Quotations (2);   Sermon on the Mount;   Vain;   Winter ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bless;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jesus Christ (Part 2 of 2);   Prayer;   Prayers of Jesus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Christianity in Its Relation to Judaism;   New Testament;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 18;   Every Day Light - Devotion for March 15;   My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for June 10;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“So
King James Version (1611)
And I say vnto you, Aske, and it shalbe giuen you: seeke, and ye shal find: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
And I tell you, 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
"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.
New Century Version
So I tell you, ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.
Amplified Bible
"So I say to you, 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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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.
Legacy Standard Bible
"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.
Berean Standard Bible
So I tell you: 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
So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Moreover, I myself say to you: 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
And *I* say to you, 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
So I tell you, 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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I say vnto you, Aske, and it shall be giuen you: seeke, and yee shall finde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
George Lamsa Translation
I say to you also, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Good News Translation
And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Lexham English Bible
And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you.
Literal Translation
And 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.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you.
Hebrew Names Version
"I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.
International Standard Version
So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the doorit">[fn] will be opened for you.Matthew 7:7; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 15:7; James 1:6; 1 John 3:22;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
I say also to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Murdock Translation
I say also to you: Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and ye will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I say vnto you, aske, and it shalbe geuen you, seke, and ye shall fynde, knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
English Revised Version
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.
World English Bible
I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
because he is his friend, yet, because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.
Weymouth's New Testament
"So I say to you, `Ask, and what you ask for shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seie to you, 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
And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Webster's Bible Translation
And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.
New English Translation
"So I tell you: 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
Matthew 7:7-11">[xr] "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.
New Life Bible
I say to you, ask, and what you ask 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
"So I say to you, 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
I, therefore, unto you, say - Be asking, and it shall be given to you, Be seeking, and ye shall find, - Be knocking, and it shall be opened unto you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I say to you: Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Revised Standard Version
And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And I saye vnto you: axe and it shalbe geven you. Seke and ye shall fynde. knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you.
Young's Literal Translation
and I say to you, 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)
And I saye vnto you also: Axe, and it shal be geuen you: Seke, and ye shal fynde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I tell you likewise, ask, and it shall be given: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and the door shall be opened.
THE MESSAGE
"Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open.
Simplified Cowboy Version
"So I'm telling you to knock on the Boss's door until he answers and don't go away until he gives you what you need.

Contextual Overview

1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2 Jesus said, "This is how you should pray: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us each day the food we need, 4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation." 5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.' 8 But I tell you this—though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 "And so I tell you, 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. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I say: Luke 13:24, Matthew 6:29, Matthew 21:31, Mark 13:37, Revelation 2:24

Ask: Psalms 50:15, Psalms 118:5, Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 7:8, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24, John 4:10, John 14:13, John 15:7, John 15:16, John 16:23, John 16:24, 2 Corinthians 12:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Hebrews 4:16, James 1:5, James 5:15, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15

seek: Luke 13:24, Psalms 27:4, Psalms 27:8, Psalms 34:4, Psalms 34:10, Psalms 105:3, Psalms 105:4, Song of Solomon 3:1-4, Song of Solomon 5:6, Isaiah 45:19, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7, Jeremiah 29:12, Daniel 9:3, Amos 5:4-6, John 1:45-49, Acts 10:4-6, Romans 2:7, Hebrews 11:6

knock: Luke 13:25, 2 Corinthians 6:2

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 2:20 - Ask on Psalms 65:2 - thou Psalms 86:5 - unto all Proverbs 2:5 - shalt Jeremiah 13:27 - wilt Jeremiah 29:13 - ye shall Acts 8:22 - pray Acts 9:11 - for James 4:2 - because

Cross-References

Genesis 10:5
Their descendants became the seafaring peoples that spread out to various lands, each identified by its own language, clan, and national identity.
Genesis 10:10
He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.
Genesis 10:20
These were the descendants of Ham, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.
Genesis 10:25
Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means "division"), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother's name was Joktan.
Genesis 11:1
At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words.
Genesis 11:14
When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber.
Genesis 11:31
One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram's wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran's child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there.
Genesis 11:32
Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran.
Acts 17:26
From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
1 Corinthians 14:23
Even so, if unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you,.... This is said by Christ, to encourage to prayer, and importunity in it; that if any one asks of God, in the name of Christ, and in faith, whether it be bread for the body, or food for the soul; or any blessing whatever, whether temporal or spiritual, it shall be given; not according to their deserts, but according to the riches of the grace of God; who is rich unto all that call upon him, in sincerity and truth:

seek, and ye shall find: whether it be Christ, the pearl of great price, or God in Christ; or particularly, pardoning grace and mercy through Christ, or the knowledge of divine things; and both grace here, and glory hereafter, as men seek for hidden treasure; such shall not lose their labour, but shall enjoy all these valuable things, and whatever they are by prayer, and in the use of other means, seeking after:

knock, and it shall be opened to you; the door of mercy with God; the door of fellowship with Christ; the door of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it and of the Gospel dispensation and church state, into which is admission, to all that seek; and the door of heaven, into which there is entrance by the blood of Jesus: the several phrases denote prayer, the continuance of it, and importunity in it;

:-

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this explained in the notes at Matthew 7:7-11.

Luke 11:12

“A scorpion” See the notes at Luke 10:19. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. i. p. 379) says: “There is no imaginable likeness between an egg and the ordinary black scorpion of this country, neither in color nor size, nor, when the tail is extended, in shape; but old writers speak of a “white” scorpion, and such a one, with the tail folded up, as in specimens of fossil trilobites, would not look unlike a small egg. Perhaps the contrast, however, refers only to the different properties of the egg and the scorpion, which is sufficiently emphatic.”

Pliny (“N. H.,” xi. 25) says that in Judea the scorpions are about the size of an egg, and not unlike one in shape.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 11:9. And (or, therefore) I say unto you, Ask — Be importunate with God, not so much to prevail on him to save you, as to get yourselves brought into a proper disposition to receive that mercy which he is ever disposed to give. He who is not importunate for the salvation of his soul does not feel the need of being saved; and were God to communicate his mercy to such they could not be expected to be grateful for it, as favours are only prized and esteemed in proportion to the sense men have of their necessity and importance. See this subject explained Matthew 7:7-8.


 
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