Luke 11:8

8 I tell you, even if he does not give him [anything] [after he] gets up because [he] is his friend, at any rate because of his impudence he will get up [and] give him whatever he needs.

Luke 11:8 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:8

I say unto you
This is the accommodation of the parable; to these words are premised, in the Vulgate Latin version, the following, "if he continue knocking":

though he will not rise and give him, because he is a friend;
though mere friendship will not influence and engage him to rise from his bed, at such an unseasonable time, and fulfil the request of his friend;

yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many
as he needeth:
as he asks for, or more, if necessary: the design of this parable, is the same with that of the widow and the unjust judge, in ( Luke 18:1-6 ) which is to show the force of importunity, where friendship, as here, and the fear of God, and regard of men, which were wanting there, have no influence; and so to encourage to constancy and perseverance in prayer, with earnestness; taking no denial at the hand of God, but still continuing to make pressing instances.

Luke 11:8 In-Context

6 because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I do not have anything to set before him.'

7 And that one will answer from inside [and] say, 'Do not cause me trouble! The door has already been shut and my children are with me in bed! I am not able to get up to give you [anything].'

8 I tell you, even if he does not give him [anything] [after he] gets up because [he] is his friend, at any rate because of his impudence he will get up [and] give him whatever he needs.

9 And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you.

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

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [b]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("gets up") which is understood as temporal
• [c]. Or "shamelessness"; some translate as "persistence" based on the context, though this is not the normal meaning of the word
• [d]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("will get up") has been translated as a finite verb