Luke 11 10

Luke 11:10 kjv

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Luke 11:10 nkjv

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:10 niv

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 11:10 esv

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:10 nlt

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 11 verses

Luke 11 10 Meaning

Luke 11:10 provides a powerful assurance and theological bedrock for prayer, following the commands of asking, seeking, and knocking in Luke 11:9. It declares with certainty that for everyone who earnestly and persistently engages in these actions, a corresponding divine response is guaranteed: reception for asking, discovery for seeking, and access for knocking. This verse underscores God's nature as a responsive, generous, and accessible Father who delights in granting the requests of those who draw near to Him in faith. It is a universal promise concerning the efficacy of sincere prayer.

Luke 11 10 Context

Luke 11:10 forms the culminating promise in a crucial segment of Jesus' teaching on prayer. Immediately prior, in Luke 11:1-4, Jesus provides the model prayer (the Lord's Prayer) at the disciples' request. Following this, in Luke 11:5-8, He shares the Parable of the Persistent Friend, illustrating that even an unwilling human will respond to bold, persistent knocking due to shameless persistence (often translated "importunity"). This parable sets the stage for the direct commands in Luke 11:9: "Ask, seek, and knock." Luke 11:10 then acts as the direct assurance, explaining why one should ask, seek, and knock – because there is an absolute guarantee of results from God. The verse is part of Jesus' broader emphasis in Luke's Gospel on prayer and the compassionate, responsive nature of God the Father, leading into the contrast between human and divine generosity in Luke 11:11-13, where God is ultimately revealed as a giver of good gifts, supremely the Holy Spirit.

Luke 11 10 Word analysis

• Πᾶς (Pas): "Everyone" or "All." This term underscores the universality of the promise; it is not limited to a select few but applies broadly to all who genuinely engage in the actions that follow.

• γὰρ (gar): "For" or "because." This particle indicates that the verse provides the reason or explanation for the preceding commands to ask, seek, and knock. It confirms the certainty of the outcome.

• ὁ αἰτῶν (ho aitōn): "The one asking." Aiteō signifies making a specific request, a conscious appeal for something desired. The present participle implies an ongoing or characteristic action.

• λαμβάνει (lambanei): "Receives." From lambanō, meaning to take, grasp, or obtain. The present tense indicates the certainty and immediacy of the receiving for those who ask.

• ὁ ζητῶν (ho zētōn): "The one seeking." Zēteō means to search for, to inquire carefully, to pursue. It suggests more active and diligent effort than simply asking; it implies looking for something that may be hidden or difficult to find.

• εὑρίσκει (heuriskei): "Finds." From heuriskō, meaning to discover, come upon, or obtain by searching. Again, the present tense conveys certainty and a continuous reality.

• τῷ κρούοντι (tō krouonti): "To the one knocking." Krouō refers to knocking on a door, indicating a persistent, determined effort to gain entry or access. It often suggests an obstacle (a closed door) that needs to be overcome through continued action. The dative case implies a result directed "to" this person.

• ἀνοιγήσεται (anoigēsetai): "It will be opened." From anoigō, meaning to open. The passive voice ("will be opened") indicates divine agency; God is the one who opens. The future tense emphatically declares the definite outcome.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." This triplet forms a powerful and structured promise, characteristic of Hebrew parallelism often used in Jesus' teaching. Each part comprises an action and its guaranteed consequence, reinforcing the truth of God's responsiveness. The progression from "asking" to "seeking" to "knocking" can be seen as an intensification of the request or persistence: asking is a verbal request, seeking involves active search, and knocking signifies insistent effort to overcome a barrier. The parallel results (receives, finds, is opened) assure the fulfillment of each stage of engagement with God. The divine passive "it will be opened" subtly indicates God as the agent without directly naming Him, preserving reverence and emphasizing the supernatural nature of the response.

Luke 11 10 Bonus section

The active, continuous nature of the Greek verbs (present participles: "the asking one," "the seeking one," "the knocking one") emphasizes that this is not about a one-time, half-hearted request, but about a posture of persistent and determined engagement with God. The guaranteed results are for those who continue to ask, continue to seek, and continue to knock. This highlights the value of perseverance in prayer, assuring believers that their consistent efforts are never in vain. The contrast between human reluctance (as seen in the parable of the persistent friend) and divine willingness makes the promise of this verse all the more potent, showcasing God's eager desire to answer compared to any human giver.

Luke 11 10 Commentary

Luke 11:10 distills the essence of faithful prayer into an irrefutable promise: God will respond to earnest human pursuit. It acts as a divine guarantee following Jesus' command to "Ask, Seek, and Knock," explaining why these actions are effective. The sequence of verbs – asking (specific request), seeking (diligent search), and knocking (persistent insistence) – represents varying degrees of intensity and resolve in prayer. For each level of engagement, there is an assured divine counter-response: receiving for asking, finding for seeking, and having access granted for knocking. The universal quantifier "everyone" signifies that this promise is open to all who meet the conditions of active, persistent faith. It underlines God's character as a gracious Father who desires to give good gifts, reinforcing that prayer is not about coaxing a reluctant deity but appealing to a willing provider who actively invites communion and responds with blessings. The deepest understanding of this promise, as indicated by the broader context in Luke, includes the spiritual blessing of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), but its principle extends to all areas where God's will is sought with earnestness.