Luke 17:20

Luke 17:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
• New International Version (NIV)Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;

Context of Luke 17:20

18Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?” 19Jesus said to him, “Get up and go [on your way]. Your faith [your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power] has restored you to health.” Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display; 21nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence].” 22Then He said to the disciples, “The time will come when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

Luke 17:20 word by word

Ἐπερωτηθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν Φαρισαίων πότε ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς καὶ εἶπεν· οὐκ ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ παρατηρήσεως,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when he was demandedἐπερωτάωeperōtaō · to questionG1905
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• the Phariseesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• whenπότεpote · when?G4219
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• should comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• he answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• notοὐou · noG3756
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• observationπαρατήρησιςparatērēsis · observationG3907

Cross-references for Luke 17:20

• Luke 10:11‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you [breaking all ties]; yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near [and you rejected it].’
• Luke 16:16“The Law and the [writings of the] Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God has been and continues to be preached, and everyone tries forcefully to go into it.
• Luke 19:11While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they assumed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately [as soon as He reached the city].
• Acts 1:6So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?”
• Luke 17:23They will say to you, ‘Look [the Messiah is] there!’ or ‘Look [He is] here!’ Do not go away [to see Him], and do not run after them.
• Daniel 2:44In the days of those [final ten] kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left for another people; but it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
• Zechariah 4:6Then he said to me, “This [continuous supply of oil] is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel [prince of Judah], saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of whom the oil is a symbol],’ says the Lord of hosts.
• John 18:36Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.”

Commentaries on Luke 17:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Cometh not with observation - With scrupulous observation. That this is the proper meaning of the original, , Kypke and others have amply proved from the best Greek writers. As if he had said: "The kingdom of God, the glorious religion of the Messiah, does not come in such a way as to be discerned only by sagacious critics, or is only to be seen by those who are scrupulously watching for it; it is not of such a nature as to be confined to one place, so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Was demanded - Was asked. Of the Pharisees - This was a matter of much importance to them, and they had taught that it would come with parade and pomp. It is not unlikely that they asked this merely in “contempt,” and for the purpose of drawing out something that would expose him to ridicule. The kingdom of God - The “reign” of God; or the dispensation under the Messiah. See the notes at Matthew 3:2. With observation - With scrupulous and attentive…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-37Verses 20-37 The kingdom of God was among the Jews, or rather within some of them. It was a spiritual kingdom, set up in the heart by the power of Divine grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly, and in what state the judgments of God, which they had been warned of, found them. Here is shown what a dreadful surprise this destruction will be to the secure and sensual. Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. When Christ came…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21When the kingdom of God would come: Many Jews believed that the Messiah (Christ) would establish God's kingdom in Jerusalem. They expected him to defeat Israel's enemies and bring peace, prosperity, justice, and righteousness (see 3:15; compare Acts 1:6). The Pharisees were likely questioning the claim that Jesus was the Messiah (God’s chosen king). He was not defeating the Romans or setting up a visible kingdom on earth, as they expected. Jesus did not…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-3720-25. when, &c.--To meet the erroneous views not only of the Pharisees, but of the disciples themselves, our Lord addresses both, announcing the coming of the kingdom under different aspects. It cometh not with observation--with watching or lying in wait, as for something outwardly imposing and at once revealing itself.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 17:20

• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Kingdom of God
• Demand
• Jesus Christ
• Kingdom of God (of Heaven), the
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Martha
• Observe

Commentaries on Luke 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings