Chapter

Luke 11:8

ESV I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
NIV I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
NASB I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because of his shamelessness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
CSB I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
NLT But I tell you this — though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
KJV I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
NKJV I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

What does Luke 11:8 mean?

This completes Jesus' parable explaining why believers should feel free to ask God to fill their needs. A man is awakened in the middle of the night by a neighbor who desperately needs bread for a sudden visitor. The neighbor doesn't want to get up and disturb his children, but if he doesn't, the man's knocking will disturb them, anyway. The man is a friend. The neighbor understands the social responsibility of hospitality. But in the end, it's the man's persistence that forces the neighbor to get up and hand over the bread (Luke 11:5–7).

"Impudence" means to be bold, even with no regard for what is proper. A child who runs to her father during his online, on-camera meeting, because she knows he loves her, is bold and improper. She doesn't care if he's being interviewed live for a news broadcast; she just knows she is free to go to her father at any time. We can have the same freedom with God.

In the next section, Jesus uncovers this application of the parable. The two men are neighbors and friends, linked by a common cultural expectation of sacrificial hospitality. Even so, the man only gets out of bed because the neighbor is annoying. God the Father, to whom the disciples pray (Luke 11:2), will readily give to His children because He loves them (Luke 11:9–13).
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