Luke 11:5 Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

◄ Luke 11:5 ►

New International Version
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;

New Living Translation
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,

English Standard Version
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to them, "Who among you will have a friend, and will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,

King James Bible
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

New King James Version
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

NASB 1995
Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

NASB 1977
And He said to them, “Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then He said to them, “Which of you has a friend and will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

Amplified Bible
Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread];

Christian Standard Bible
He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He also said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Contemporary English Version
Then Jesus went on to say: Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, "Let me borrow three loaves of bread.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said to his disciples, "Suppose one of you has a friend. Suppose you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.

Good News Translation
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Suppose one of you should go to a friend's house at midnight and say, 'Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.

International Standard Version
Then he told them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jesus said to them, ?Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ?Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

NET Bible
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

New Heart English Bible
He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves:

Weymouth New Testament
And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him in the middle of the night and say, "'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;

World English Bible
He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And He said to them, “Who of you will have a friend, and will go on to him at midnight, and may say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to them, "Who among you will have a friend, and will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,

Young's Literal Translation
And he said unto them, 'Who of you shall have a friend, and shall go on unto him at midnight, and may say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and should say to him. Friend, lend me three loaves;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to them: “Which of you will have a friend and will go to him in the middle of the night, and will say to him: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,

New American Bible
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

New Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And he said to them, Who is among you who has a friend, and he should go to him at midnight, and say to him, My friend, loan me three loaves,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to them, “Who among you has a friend and will go to him at midnight and will say to him, “My friend, lend me three loaves”,

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Godbey New Testament
And He said to them, Which one of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Haweis New Testament
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and he shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Mace New Testament
Then he said to them, suppose any of you should go to his friend at midnight; and say to him, friend, lend me three loaves:

Weymouth New Testament
And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him in the middle of the night and say, "'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;

Worrell New Testament
And He said to them, "Who of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;

Worsley New Testament
And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine on his journey is come to me,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Ask, Seek, Knock
4And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” 5Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. / Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ...

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Matthew 6:9-13
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. / Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. / Give us this day our daily bread. ...

Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: / “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. / And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ...

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. / Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means.

Isaiah 65:24
Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Psalm 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”

Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. / If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 16:23-24
In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. / Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Treasury of Scripture

And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

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Luke 11

1. Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11. assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him.
14. He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27. and shows who are blessed;
29. preaches to the people;
37. and reprimands the outward show of holiness.

Berean Study Bible

Then Jesus said to them
This phrase introduces a teaching moment from Jesus, emphasizing His role as a rabbi and teacher. The Greek word for "said" is "εἶπεν" (eipen), which is often used to denote authoritative speech. Jesus frequently used parables and hypothetical scenarios to convey deeper spiritual truths, engaging His audience in a way that was both relatable and thought-provoking.

Suppose one of you
Here, Jesus invites His listeners to place themselves in the scenario, making the teaching personal and applicable. The Greek word "τίς" (tis) is used for "one," indicating an indefinite pronoun that can apply to anyone, thus making the lesson universal. This approach encourages self-reflection and personal application of the teaching.

goes to his friend
The concept of friendship in the ancient Near Eastern context was deeply rooted in mutual obligation and hospitality. The Greek word for "friend" is "φίλος" (philos), which implies a close, personal relationship. In this cultural setting, a friend was expected to provide assistance, especially in times of need, highlighting the communal nature of society.

at midnight
Midnight signifies an inconvenient and unexpected time, emphasizing the urgency and desperation of the request. In the ancient world, nighttime was associated with rest and security, making a visit at this hour unusual and potentially disruptive. This detail underscores the persistence and boldness required in approaching God with our needs.

and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,’
The request for "three loaves of bread" is significant, as bread was a staple of the diet and a symbol of sustenance and life. The Greek word for "lend" is "χρῆσον" (chrēson), which implies a temporary loan, suggesting that the petitioner intends to repay the kindness. This reflects the cultural expectation of reciprocity and the importance of maintaining social harmony through acts of generosity.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Which of you shall have a friend . . .?--The illustration, we can hardly call it a parable, is peculiar to St. Luke, and, as setting forth the power of prayer, is specially characteristic of him. (See Introduction.) The familiar tone, as of one appealing to each man's natural good-will, and the dramatic vividness of the dialogue, make it almost unique in our Lord's teaching. "Midnight" is chosen as being the time at which, above all others, men expect to be left to their repose. The unexpected visitor asks for "three loaves," one for himself, one for the guest, one as a reserve; and he so far trusts his friend as to hope that he will recognise the claims of his friendship for another. So, the implied lesson is, should the man who prays think that God will care for those for whom he pleads, and will give them also their "daily bread" in both the higher and the lower senses of the word.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 5-13. - Prayer continued. The wisdom of perseverance in prayer is pressed. The Lord introduces his argument by the short parable of the selfish neighbor. Verse 5. - And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves. This whole passage follows naturally the Lord's own formula of prayer. The teaching contained in vers. 1-13 may be well summarized as the Master's lesson on prayer. The disciples, when they heard Jesus pray, asked him to instruct them in the holy art. The Lord then suggested to them a series of short subjects for constant prayer, and further gave them words in which they could embody these subjects, and then proceeded to press upon them that this constant seeking help from God should never be interrupted; no discouragements were ever to prevent their praying. "See," said the Master, "this" (telling them the little parable) "is what God appears to be when prayer receives no answer." Of course, he is not what he appears to be (see ver. 9). The truth concerning God does not really come out before the words of ver. 9; but the parable, grotesque and quaint, and picturing a common scene of everyday life, arrested the attention then as it has done in many a million cases since, and told men out of heart and despairing of receiving any answer to their prayers, to think. Well, here is a case in point; but is God like this? The Lord replies shortly to this mute heart-query. At midnight. The whole picture is drawn from a poor man's house - children and parents sleeping in one room. "With me in bed" probably suggests what is common in an Eastern house, where a divan or raised platform (rendered here "bed") often filled well-nigh half the room. The hour midnight has nothing strained in it - it was frequently the practice in the East to travel by night, and so to escape the great heat of the day.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[Jesus] said
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

them,
αὐτούς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“[Suppose one]
Τίς (Tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

of
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

you
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

goes
πορεύσεται (poreusetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4198: To travel, journey, go, die.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

[his] friend
φίλον (philon)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5384: Friendly; subst: a friend, an associate. Properly, dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly.

at midnight
μεσονυκτίου (mesonyktiou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3317: Midnight, the middle of the period between sunset and sunrise. Neuter of compound of mesos and nux; midnight.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

says,
εἴπῃ (eipē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

‘Friend,
Φίλε (Phile)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5384: Friendly; subst: a friend, an associate. Properly, dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly.

lend
χρῆσόν (chrēson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 5531: To lend. Probably the same as the base of chraomai; to loan.

me
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

three
τρεῖς (treis)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

loaves [of bread],
ἄρτους (artous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

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NT Gospels: Luke 11:5 He said to them Which of you (Luke Lu Lk)