Luke 11:8 - Printer Friendly

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.

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).

Luke 11:5–8 is often called "the parable of the persistent neighbor." This is the second of three parts of Jesus' teaching on prayer (Luke 11:1–13). Having given the Lord's Prayer, Jesus tells the story of a neighbor who reluctantly answers the request of a man because the man is persistent. Jesus finishes by comparing the neighbor to God the Father who answers prayers well because He loves His children. Luke is the only gospel author to include this parable.

Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray and explains God's intent to give "good" to those who ask. He then exorcizes a demon and refutes the claim that His power is satanic. Jesus explains that unreasonable skeptics will only see the "sign of Jonah." He then criticizes the superficial legalism of the Pharisees. In response, they plot against Him.

In what some scholars refer to as "The Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51—19:27), Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and resurrection and the establishment of the church. The description begins with Christ teaching the disciples how to spread the news of the kingdom of God and reaffirming how they will be blessed, culminating in the Lord's Prayer (Luke 9:51—11:13). Luke 11 finishes with accounts of leaders who reject Jesus. The remainder of the travelogue gives a pattern of teaching on the kingdom of God, miracles, and explanations of salvation. Then Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.