Matthew 7 · Verse 11

Matthew 7:11

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew 7:11, King James Version

Matthew 7:11 in other translations

BSBSo if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
WEBIf you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
ASVIf ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
YLTif, therefore, ye being evil, have known good gifts to give to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him?
DARBYIf therefore ye, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask of him?
BBEIf you, then, being evil, are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who make requests to him?
WebsterIf ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

What does Matthew 7:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him!--Bad as our fallen nature is, the father in us is not extinguished. What a heart, then, must the Father of all fathers have towards His pleading children! In the corresponding passage in Luke (see on Lu 11:13), instead of "good things," our Lord asks whether He will not much more give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. At this early stage of His ministry, and before such an audience, He seems to avoid such sharp doctrinal teaching as was more accordant with His plan at the riper stage indicated in Luke, and in addressing His own disciples exclusively. Golden Rule (Mt 7:12).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. Mt 7:7

(y) "good gifts unto your children" Lk 11:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 If ye, then, being evil - Πονηροι οντες, who are radically and diabolically depraved, yet feel yourselves led, by natural affection, to give those things to your children which are necessary to support their lives, how much more will your Father who is in heaven, whose nature is infinite goodness, mercy, and grace, give good things - his grace and Spirit (πνευμα αγιον, the Holy Ghost, Luk 11:13), to them who ask him? What a picture is here given of the goodness of God! Reader, ask thy soul, could this heavenly Father reprobate to unconditional eternal damnation any creature he has made? He who can believe that he has, may believe any thing: but still God Is Love.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 7:7-11

Prayer is the appointed means for obtaining what we need. Pray; pray often; make a business of prayer, and be serious and earnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms. Ask, as a traveller asks the way. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost; or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door. Sin has shut and barred the door against us; by…

Read the full comment on Matthew 7:7-11 →

Matthew 7:11 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.

εἰeiIfG1487
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
πονηροὶponēroievilG4190
ὄντεςontesbeingG1510
οἴδατεoidateyou know
δόματαdomatagiftsG1390
ἀγαθὰagathagoodG18
διδόναιdidonaito giveG1325
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
τέκνοιςteknoischildrenG5043
ὑμῶν,humōnof you,G4771
πόσῳposōhow muchG4214
μᾶλλονmallonmoreG3123
ὁhotheG3588
πατὴρpatērFatherG3962
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ὁhowho [is]G3588
ἐνeninG1722
τοῖςtoistheG3588
οὐρανοῖςouranoisheavensG3772
δώσειdōseiwill giveG1325
ἀγαθὰagathagood thingsG18
τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588
αἰτοῦσινaitousinaskingG154
αὐτόν;¶autonHim?G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 7:11

  • Luke 11:11-13

    If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Romans 8:32

    He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

  • Psalms 84:11

    For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

  • Isaiah 49:15

    Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

  • John 3:16

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  • Psalms 86:15

    But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

  • Ephesians 2:1-5

    And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, …

  • 1 John 4:10

    Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

  • Genesis 8:21

    And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

  • Psalms 86:5

    For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

  • 1 John 3:1

    Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Context

  • Matthew 7:10

    Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

  • Matthew 7:11

    If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

  • Matthew 7:12

    Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Pues si vosotros, siendo malos, sabéis dar buenas dádivas á vuestros hijos, ¿cuánto más vuestro Padre que está en los cielos, dará buenas cosas á los que le piden?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Si donc vous, qui êtes méchants, vous savez donner à vos enfants des choses bonnes, combien plus votre Père qui est dans les cieux donnera-t-il de bonnes choses à ceux qui les lui demandent!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wenn nun ihr, die ihr böse seid, euren Kindern gute Gaben zu geben wisset, wieviel mehr wird euer Vater, der in den Himmeln ist, Gutes geben denen, die ihn bitten!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Si ergo vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis vestris: quanto magis Pater vester, qui in cælis est, dabit bona petentibus se?