Luke 11:1-13

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, ^[a] hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.^[b]

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. ^[c] And lead us not into temptation. ^[d] ’ ”

5 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;

6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’

7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

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

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead?

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

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Cross References

• 1. S Luke 3:21
• 2. S John 13:13
• 3. S Matthew 3:2
• 4. Matthew 18:35; Mark 11:25
• 5. Matthew 26:41; James 1:13
• 6. Luke 18:1-6
• 7. S Matthew 7:7

Footnotes

• [a] Some manuscripts "Our Father in heaven"
• [b] Some manuscripts "come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
• [c] Greek "everyone who is indebted to us"
• [d] Some manuscripts "temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"
• [e] Or "yet to preserve his good name"
• [f] Some manuscripts "for bread, will give him a stone?" "Or if he asks for"