Luke 11:13
What does Luke 11:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 11:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 11:13 means
This verse presents the profound conclusion to Jesus' teaching on prayer and God's benevolent nature. If human parents, despite their inherent imperfections ("being evil" relative to God's perfect goodness), instinctively know how to give good things to their children, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father bestow the Holy Spirit upon those who ask Him? This elevates the Holy Spirit as the ultimate good gift, promised to believers who persist in prayer.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000If 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?
KJV
King James Version · 1611If 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?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901If 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?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862If, then, ye, being evil, have known good gifts to be giving to your children, how much more shall the Father who is from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him!'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890If therefore ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give [the] Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Context
This verse provides the powerful culmination of Jesus' teaching on persistence in prayer and God's generous character. It draws a clear conclusion from the preceding parental analogies, emphasizing the Father's superior goodness. This promise of the Holy Spirit as the ultimate gift acts as a bridge, preparing the reader for the subsequent shift in the chapter to Jesus' spiritual power and the arrival of God's kingdom.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 7:37
Now on the last day, the greatdayof the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
- Luke 15:30
but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.
- Romans 7:18
For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.
- Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
- Matthew 6:32
For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
- Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
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