Meaning, commentary and cross references
Luke 11:9
“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.”In other translations
KJV · 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.
NIV · New International Version
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
WEB · 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.
What does Luke 11:9 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Luke 11:9
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…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Luke 11:5–13
9. Is there any man among you? It is a comparison from the less to the greater. First, our Lord contrasts the malice of men with the boundless goodness of God.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Luke 11:6–12 (WEB)
6for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ 7and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? 8I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. 9“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. 10For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he?
Cross references
- Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
- John 16:23–24
“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
- Matthew 21:22
All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
- John 15:16
You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
- John 15:7
If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
- 1 John 5:14–15
This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
- John 14:13
Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- 1 John 3:22
so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.