Luke 17 · Verse 20

Luke 17:20

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:

Luke 17:20, King James Version

Luke 17:20 in other translations

BSB	When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.
WEB	Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation;
ASV	And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
YLT	And having been questioned by the Pharisees, when the reign of God doth come, he answered them, and said, ‘The reign of God doth not come with observation;
DARBY	And having been asked by the Pharisees, When is the kingdom of God coming? he answered them and said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
BBE	And when the Pharisees put questions to him about when the kingdom of God would come, he gave them an answer and said, The kingdom of God will not come through observation:
Webster	And when he was asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.

What does Luke 17:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 17:20-25

Lu 17:20-37. Coming of the Kingdom of God and of the Son of Man.

20-25. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 20. Was 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. Mt 3:2.

With observation. With scrupulous and attentive looking for it, or with such an appearance as to attract observation--that is, with pomp, majesty, splendour. He did not deny that, according to their views, the time was drawing near; but he denied that his kingdom would come in the manner in which they expected. The Messiah would not come with pomp like an earthly prince; perhaps not in such a manner as to be discerned by the eyes of sagacious and artful men, who were expecting him in a way agreeable to their own feelings. The kingdom of God is within men, and it makes its way, not by pomp and noise, but by silence, decency, and order, 1Cor 14:40.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 Cometh not with observation - With scrupulous observation. That this is the proper meaning of the original, μετα παρατηρησεως, 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 that men might say of it, Behold it is only here, or only there: for this kingdom of God is publicly revealed; and behold it is among you; I proclaim it publicly, and work those miracles which prove the kingdom of God is come; and none of these things are done in a corner." Dr. Lightfoot has well observed that there are two senses especially in which the phrase "kingdom of heaven," is to be understood. 1. The promulgation and establishment of the Christian religion. 2. The total overthrow of the Jewish polity. The Jews imagined that when the Messiah should come he would destroy the Gentiles, and reign gloriously over the Jews: the very reverse of this, our Lord intimates, should be the case. He was about to destroy the whole Jewish polity, and reign gloriously among the Gentiles. Hence he mentions the case of the general deluge, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. As if he had said: "The coming of this kingdom shall be as fatal to you as the deluge was to the old world, and as the fire and brimstone from heaven were to Sodom and Gomorrah." Our Lord states that this kingdom of heaven was within them, i.e. that they themselves should be the scene of these desolations, as, through their disobedience and rebellion, they possessed the seeds of these judgments. See on Mat 3:2 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 17:20-37

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 to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roman armies, that nation was found in such a state of false security as is here spoken of. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world, sinners will be found altogether regardless; for in like manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, and remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are, who are marked for eternal ruin, they shall be found by the judgments of God.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 17:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἘπερωτηθεὶςEperōtētheisHaving been askedG1905

δὲdenowG1161

ὑπὸhupobyG5259

τῶνtōntheG3588

ΦαρισαίωνPharisaiōnPhariseesG5330

πότεpotewhenG4219

ἔρχεταιerchetaiis comingG2064

ἡhētheG3588

βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦ,theouof God,G2316

ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēHe answeredG611

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

καὶkaiandG2532

εἶπεν·eipensaid;G2036

οὐκoukNotG3756

ἔρχεταιerchetaicomesG2064

ἡhētheG3588

βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

μετὰmetawithG3326

παρατηρήσεως,paratērēseōscareful observation,G3907

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 17:20

John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Luke 19:11
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Zechariah 4:6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Luke 10:11
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Acts 1:6-7
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Luke 17:23-24
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

when the.
10:11; 16:16; 19:11; Ac 1:6,7
observation. or, outward show.
23,24; Da 2:44; Zec 4:6; Joh 18:36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 17:19
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Luke 17:20
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:
Luke 17:21
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Read all of Luke 17

Luke 17:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y preguntado por los Fariseos, cuándo había de venir el reino de Dios, les respondió y dijo: El reino de Dios no vendrá con advertencia;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or, étant interrogé par les pharisiens quand viendrait le royaume de Dieu, il leur répondit et dit: Le royaume de Dieu ne vient pas de manière à attirer l’attention;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und als er von den Pharisäern gefragt wurde: Wann kommt das Reich Gottes? antwortete er ihnen und sprach: Das Reich Gottes kommt nicht so, daß man es beobachten könnte;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Interrogatus autem a pharisæis: Quando venit regnum Dei? respondens eis, dixit: Non venit regnum Dei cum observatione: