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

18But only this one man came back to thank God. And he is a foreign man from Samaria!’ 19Then Jesus spoke to the man. ‘Stand up and go on your way. You believed in me, so now you are really well.’ Then some Pharisees asked Jesus a question. ‘When will the kingdom of God begin here?’ Jesus replied, ‘When God begins to rule here, people will not see it with their eyes. 21Nobody will say, “Look everyone! God is ruling here,” or “Look! God is ruling over there.” No, it is not like that. God is already ruling in the lives of his people.’ 22Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The time will come when you will very much want to see me, the Son of Man, return to the earth. But you will not see that day.

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“There is dirt from your town on our feet. We will clean it off to show that you have not accepted us. God is not happy with you. But listen! You should know that the kingdom of God has come very near.”
• Luke 16:16Jesus then said, ‘The books of God's Law and God's prophets spoke God's message until John the Baptist came. Since then, God's servants tell people the good news about the kingdom of God. Everyone is now trying very much to get into that kingdom.
• Luke 19:11While the people were still listening, Jesus told them a story. He did this because the people had wrong thoughts. He was now getting near to Jerusalem. So the people with him were thinking that God would begin to rule his people immediately.
• Acts 1:6While Jesus' apostles were together with him, they asked him, ‘Lord, at this time will you now give the kingdom back to us, the people of Israel?’
• Luke 17:23People may say to you, “Look, there he is!” or “Here he is!” But do not go out with them to look.
• Daniel 2:44During the time when those kings rule, the God of heaven will begin a new kingdom. That kingdom will continue for ever. No other people will ever have power over it. It will break up all those other kingdoms and it will destroy them. And it will continue for ever.
• Zechariah 4:6Then the angel said to me, ‘The Lord said this to Zerubbabel: “You will need my Spirit. You yourself are too weak. And you do not have enough power.” This is what the Lord Almighty says:
• John 18:36Jesus said, ‘My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my disciples would have fought for me. They would have fought so that the Jewish leaders could not take hold of me. No, my kingdom belongs to another place.’

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