Luke 11 12

Luke 11:12 kjv

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 nkjv

Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 niv

Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 esv

or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 nlt

Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!

Luke 11 verses

Luke 11 12 Meaning

Luke 11:12 teaches that just as no good earthly father would give his child something harmful, like a scorpion, when asked for something good and nourishing, like an egg, so too our Heavenly Father, being perfectly good, will never give us evil or harmful things when we ask Him. It reassures believers of God's benevolent character and His readiness to give good gifts to those who petition Him.

Luke 11 12 Context

Luke 11:12 is embedded within Jesus' discourse on prayer, initiated by a disciple's request, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1). This leads to the recitation of the Lord's Prayer (Lk 11:2-4) and the parable of the persistent friend (Lk 11:5-8), emphasizing perseverance in prayer. Immediately preceding verse 12 are the direct statements, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Lk 11:9-10). Verses 11-13 then reinforce God's willingness to give good gifts by using an analogy of a human father's benevolence towards his children.

Historically and culturally, the bond between father and son was paramount in the ancient Near East, with the father seen as the primary provider and protector. An "egg" was a common, easily accessible, and nourishing food item. A "scorpion" was a known venomous arachnid, representing danger, harm, and often, death, particularly for children. The contrast would have been stark and immediately understood by Jesus' audience, highlighting an unthinkable perversion of fatherly care. Jesus draws on this everyday human experience to illustrate a far greater truth about the unfailing, good nature of God, who is perfect in His Fatherhood.

Luke 11 12 Word analysis

• Or (ἤ - ē): This conjunction introduces a further alternative or parallel example in the series of rhetorical questions, building on the preceding one (implicit bread/stone and fish/serpent comparisons often found in parallels like Matthew). It serves to strengthen the argument through additional illustration.

• if he shall ask (ἐὰν αἰτήσῃ - ean aitēsē): "Ask" (aiteō) typically refers to asking of a superior or for a personal request. Here, it denotes a child making a direct, simple plea for a basic need to his father. The phrase sets up the conditional premise for the rhetorical question.

• an egg (ᾠόν - ōon): This word signifies a common, easily obtained, and nutritious food source. It symbolizes a simple, wholesome, and beneficial item necessary for sustenance. Its presence emphasizes the straightforward, reasonable nature of the child's request.

• will he offer him (ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ - epidōsei autō): "Offer/give" (epididōmi) suggests the act of readily providing something directly into one's hands. The phrase forms a rhetorical question expecting a firm negative answer, emphasizing the unnaturalness of a father giving a harmful object instead of a desired, good one.

• a scorpion (σκορπίον - skorpíon): This term refers to a venomous arachnid well-known in the region for its dangerous sting, representing harm, pain, danger, and often death. Scorpions could resemble certain common foods, especially when curled, making the potential for accidental harmful exchange particularly poignant. The drastic contrast with an egg vividly portrays the absurd and malicious nature of giving harm when goodness is sought.

• Word-Group Analysis:

  • "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?": This complete phrase constitutes a rhetorical question designed to elicit an obvious and emphatic "No!" from the listeners. It highlights the profound absurdity of a natural parental love betraying trust by substituting a dangerous object for a life-sustaining one. This human, albeit imperfect, parental intuition serves as an undeniable foundation for understanding God's infinitely perfect goodness. The implicit argument is: if imperfect human parents possess such basic goodness, how much more will the perfectly good God provide excellent gifts, particularly the Holy Spirit, when asked by His children?

Luke 11 12 Bonus section

• This rhetorical question highlights the fundamental contrast between life-giving provision (egg) and death-dealing harm (scorpion), making the argument about God's benevolent character exceptionally clear and memorable.
• The analogy depends on the common, observable love of parents for their children, establishing a baseline of goodness which God infinitely exceeds. This serves to correct any misconception that God might be distant, grudging, or potentially malevolent.
• The broader context in Luke emphasizes prayer not just as an act but as a relationship of trusting dependence on a good Father who desires to give His children the very best.
• In the ancient world, scorpions were not just a physical threat but sometimes a symbol of evil or demonic forces (cf. Rev 9:3, Lk 10:19), further contrasting them with life and purity represented by an egg.

Luke 11 12 Commentary

Luke 11:12 provides a vivid, practical example in Jesus' teaching on prayer, demonstrating God's inherent goodness as our Heavenly Father. It continues the analogy from the prior verse (fish instead of serpent in Matthew's parallel, or broadly, good gifts instead of bad) and culminates in the "egg and scorpion" illustration. An egg is a simple, common source of nutrition and life; a scorpion represents harm and danger. The very notion of a father responding to a child's innocent request for an egg by handing over a scorpion is unthinkable, perverse, and against the very essence of fatherhood.

The verse emphasizes the stark contrast between what is nourishing and what is harmful, serving as a powerful reassurance to believers: if even imperfect human parents inherently know how to give good things (however flawed their "goodness" may be), then the perfectly righteous and loving Heavenly Father will never betray His children by giving them harm or evil when they seek His good. This provides profound confidence for prayer, fostering trust that God delights in giving benevolent answers. Ultimately, as Luke concludes in the following verse, the supreme good gift from God is the Holy Spirit Himself.