Luke 11:6

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’

King James Version (1611)
For a friend of mine in his iourney is come to me, and I haue nothing to set before him,

King James Version
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

English Standard Version
for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

New American Standard Bible
because a friend of mine has come to me from a journey and I have nothing to serve him';

New Century Version
A friend of mine has come into town to visit me, but I have nothing for him to eat.'

Amplified Bible
for a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come to visit me, and I have nothing to serve him';

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

Legacy Standard Bible
for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

Berean Standard Bible
because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.'

Contemporary English Version
A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don't have a thing for him to eat."

Complete Jewish Bible
because a friend of mine who has been travelling has just arrived at my house, and I have nothing for him to eat.'

Darby Translation
since a friend of mine on a journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him;

Geneva Bible (1587)
For a friende of mine is come out of the way to me, & I haue nothing to set before him:

George Lamsa Translation
For a friend has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.

Good News Translation
A friend of mine who is on a trip has just come to my house, and I don't have any food for him!'

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

Literal Translation
For a friend of mine arrived to me from a journey, and I do not have what I may set before him.

American Standard Version
for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;

Bible in Basic English
Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him;

Hebrew Names Version
for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,'

International Standard Version
A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don't have anything to serve him.'

Etheridge Translation
because a friend has come to me from the way, and I have nothing to set to him ?

Murdock Translation
for a friend hath come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For a friende of mine is come out of the way to me, and I haue nothyng to set before hym:

English Revised Version
for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;

World English Bible
for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For a friend of mine on his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him:

Weymouth's New Testament
for a friend of mine has just come to my house from a distance, and I have nothing for him to eat'?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for my freend cometh to me fro the weie, and Y haue not what Y schal sette bifor hym.

Update Bible Version
for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him;

Webster's Bible Translation
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

New English Translation
because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.'

New King James Version
for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

New Living Translation
‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'

New Life Bible
for a friend of mine is on a trip and has stopped at my house. I have no food to give him.'

New Revised Standard
for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
forasmuch as, a friend of mine, hath come off a journey unto me, and I have not what I can set before him;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me and I have not what to set before him.

Revised Standard Version
for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
for a frende of myne is come out of the waye to me and I have nothinge to set before him:

Young's Literal Translation
seeing a friend of mine came out of the way unto me, and I have not what I shall set before him,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for a frende of myne is come to me out of the waye, and I haue nothinge to set before him:

Mace New Testament (1729)
for a friend of mine, a traveller, is come to my house, and I have nothing to entertain him with.

Simplified Cowboy Version

Contextual Overview

¹ One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, "Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." ²So he said, "When you pray, say, Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." ⁵Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.' ⁷ "The friend answers from his bed, ‘Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.' ⁸ "But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need. ⁹ "Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open. ¹⁰"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in his journey: or, out of his way, Luke 11:6

Cross-References

Genesis 3:22
God said, "The Man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good to evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of-Life and eat, and live forever? Never—this cannot happen!"

Genesis 6:5
God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart. God said, "I'll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds—the works. I'm sorry I made them."

Genesis 11:1
At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down.

Genesis 11:4
Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let's make ourselves famous so we won't be scattered here and there across the Earth."

1 Kings 18:27
By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, "Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he's off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he's gotten involved in a project, or maybe he's on vacation. You don't suppose he's overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?" They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood.

Ecclesiastes 11:9
You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For a friend of mine in his journey,.... Or "out of the way"; having lost his way, being benighted; and has rambled about for some time, and at length,

is come to me; for lodging and entertainment:

and I have nothing to set before him; to refresh him with, after such a fatigue, before he goes to bed, which was very requisite and proper.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them ... - Jesus proceeds to show that, in order to obtain the blessing, it was necessary to “persevere” in asking for it. For this purpose he introduces the case of a friend’s asking bread of another for one who had come to him unexpectedly. His design is solely to show the necessity of being “importunate” or persevering in prayer to God.

At midnight - A time when it would be most inconvenient for his friend to help him; an hour when he would naturally be in bed and his house shut.

Three loaves - There is nothing particularly denoted by the number “three” in this place. Jesus often threw in such particulars merely to fill up the story, or to preserve the consistency of it.

My children are with me in bed - This does not necessarily mean that they were in the “same bed” with him, but that they were “all” in bed, the house was still, the door was shut, and it was troublesome for him to rise at that time of night to accommodate him. It should be observed, however, that the customs of Orientals differ in this respect from our own. Among them it is not uncommon indeed it is the common practice for a whole family - parents, children, and servants - to sleep in the same room. See “The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 180. This is “not” to be applied to God, as if it were troublesome to him to be sought unto, or as if “he” would ever reply to a sinner in that manner. All that is to be applied to God in this parable is simply that it is proper to “persevere” in prayer. As a “man” often gives because the request is “repeated,” and as one is not discouraged because the favor that he asks of his neighbor is “delayed,” so God often answers us after long and importunate requests.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 11:6. In his journey is come — Or, perhaps more literally, A friend of mine is come to me out of his way, εξ οδου, which renders the case more urgent-a friend of mine, benighted, belated, and who has lost his way, is come unto me. This was a strong reason why he should have prompt relief.