Luke 11:5 kjv
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luke 11:5 nkjv
And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luke 11:5 niv
Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;
Luke 11:5 esv
And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,
Luke 11:5 nlt
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,
Luke 11 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Luke 11:8 | I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence... | The key teaching from this parable about persistence. |
| Luke 11:9-10 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you... | Direct instruction following the parable on prayer. |
| Luke 11:11-13 | What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent...? | Illustrates God's good nature as a giving Father. |
| Matt 7:7-8 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | Parallel teaching on persistence in prayer. |
| Matt 7:9-11 | Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone...? | Parallel teaching on God's good gifts to those who ask. |
| Luke 18:1-8 | And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man..." | The parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow. |
| 1 Thes 5:17 | Pray without ceasing, | Admonition for continuous prayer. |
| Rom 12:12 | Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. | Call to persistence and steadfastness in prayer. |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Instruction to bring all needs to God in prayer. |
| James 1:5-6 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. | God's generous nature when asked in faith. |
| John 14:13-14 | Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. | Promises regarding answered prayer through Jesus. |
| John 15:7 | If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. | Connection between abiding in Christ and answered prayer. |
| 1 John 5:14-15 | And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us... | Confidence in God hearing and answering prayer. |
| Gen 18:1-8 | The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre... He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed to the earth and said, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant." | Example of ancient Near Eastern hospitality. |
| Gen 19:1-3 | The two angels came to Sodom in the evening... Lot went out to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth. And he said, "Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night..." | Another strong example of urgent hospitality. |
| Isa 58:7 | Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house...? | The expectation of sharing and hospitality in righteousness. |
| Heb 13:2 | Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. | Encouragement for Christian hospitality. |
| Rom 12:13 | Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. | Instruction on hospitality within the Christian community. |
| 2 Cor 9:8 | And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. | God's abounding grace and provision. |
| Phil 4:19 | And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. | Assurance of God's abundant supply for every need. |
Luke 11 verses
Luke 11 5 Meaning
Luke 11:5 begins a parable Jesus tells immediately after teaching His disciples the "Lord's Prayer." This verse sets the scene, describing a common, relatable scenario from everyday life in ancient Judea: a person faces an unexpected late-night guest and lacks provisions, leading them to approach a friend for help at a highly inconvenient hour. The verse highlights the urgency and social obligation surrounding hospitality. It illustrates a hypothetical, seemingly impudent request made out of necessity, which Jesus uses as a foundation to teach about the Father's boundless willingness to respond to persistent prayer, contrasting a reluctant human friend with a benevolent God.
Luke 11 5 Context
Luke 11:5 follows Jesus' teaching of the Model Prayer (Luke 11:1-4), prompted by one of His disciples asking Him how to pray, similar to how John taught his disciples. After giving them the template for prayer, Jesus immediately transitions into a parable designed to illustrate the attitude of persistent prayer and the certainty of God's answer. This verse initiates that parable, known as the "Friend at Midnight" or "Importunate Friend" parable. It's set in a cultural context where hospitality was paramount. Travel often happened during cooler night hours, making unexpected late-night arrivals common. The social disgrace of not being able to feed a guest was profound, compelling the host to extreme measures, even disturbing a neighbor in the middle of the night. This highlights the urgent necessity that drives the character's actions in the parable, which forms the groundwork for Jesus' lesson on persistent faith in approaching God.
Luke 11 5 Word analysis
- And he said: Signifies a direct continuation of Jesus' teaching, shifting from the content of prayer to the posture of prayer.
- to them: Refers to Jesus' disciples, who had just asked Him to teach them how to pray. This teaching is personal and directed at their growth in prayer.
- Which of you: A rhetorical question (tis ex hymōn) often used by Jesus to engage His audience, drawing on common human experience and understanding. It makes the listener part of the scenario.
- shall have a friend: Greek philos (φίλος). This isn't just an acquaintance but a dear one, indicating a close social bond that might imply an expectation of help.
- and shall go: Denotes a deliberate action and journey. The friend goes to another's house, not just sends a message.
- unto him: To the house of the friend who is capable of providing what is needed.
- at midnight: Greek mesonyktiou (μεσονυκτίου). This is a critical detail. Midnight is the most inconvenient and unsocial hour for making a request, emphasizing the extreme desperation or urgency of the situation. It highlights a time of deep rest that would normally not be disturbed, making the forthcoming request audacious.
- and say to him: Directly verbalizing the request.
- Friend, lend me: Greek chresai (χρῆσαι). To "lend" in the sense of providing what is necessary for use. It implies the borrower's temporary need, but also the social obligation within friendship.
- three loaves: Greek artous treis (ἄρτους τρεῖς). Loaves of bread were fundamental to the diet, small, flat, and round. "Three loaves" suggests enough for one unexpected guest for a typical meal, symbolizing basic sustenance. The specific, small number highlights a precise, modest need, not greed.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him": This establishes a universal and relatable premise. It immediately puts the disciples in the shoes of the one in need, appealing to their cultural understanding of friendship and obligation.
- "at midnight, and say to him": The specific timing ("at midnight") creates the tension of the parable. It magnifies the boldness of the request and the severity of the host's need. The act of going and saying emphasizes the direct, urgent nature of the plea.
- "Friend, lend me three loaves": This phrase encapsulates the specific, modest, and legitimate need. "Friend" reinforces the social bond, while "lend me" and "three loaves" point to a concrete, albeit basic, necessity for the unexpected guest, vital for fulfilling hospitality obligations.
Luke 11 5 Bonus section
The concept of "midnight" in this parable goes beyond mere time. In ancient Jewish culture, journeys were often undertaken at night to avoid the day's heat. This meant unexpected arrivals in the dark hours were not uncommon, necessitating prompt and full hospitality. The societal disgrace of not being able to properly host a guest was immense, creating a compelling pressure that often overshadowed personal convenience. This underpins the audacity of the friend's midnight request—it was a social imperative. The parable also subtly shifts from human reluctance to divine readiness. The key lesson is not that God is like the sleeping friend who must be importuned, but precisely the opposite: if a begrudging human can be persuaded, how much more eagerly will the good and loving Heavenly Father give to those who ask. The seemingly bothersome friend serves as a stark contrast, rather than a direct analogy for God's nature.
Luke 11 5 Commentary
Luke 11:5 opens a pivotal parable revealing the Father's willingness to give to those who persist in prayer. Jesus paints a common domestic scenario where hospitality, a core cultural value, clashes with convenience. The request at "midnight" highlights dire necessity and bold persistence, implying that only extreme need could justify such an intrusion. The friend seeks not excess, but basic sustenance ("three loaves") for an unexpected guest. This illustrates the human condition of having genuine, humble needs that must be addressed, even if it requires inconvenient actions. The implied audacity of disturbing a sleeping neighbor sets up a contrast: if an ordinary human, however reluctant, can be moved to act by insistent appeal in such a situation, how infinitely more willing and able is the heavenly Father to respond to His children's genuine prayers. The parable does not suggest God is a reluctant friend who needs convincing, but rather that human persistence, even against reluctance, serves as an analogy for the certainty of divine generosity when we approach Him earnestly.