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

18Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. 21You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.” 22Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t 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‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’
• Luke 16:16“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.
• Luke 19:11The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.
• Acts 1:6So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
• Luke 17:23People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them.
• Daniel 2:44“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.
• Zechariah 4:6Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
• John 18:36Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But 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