LUKE 11:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) However if I’m driving out demons with power that comes from God, then that means that God’s kingdom is right in the middle of you all.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But if I cast out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

UST I must actually be forcing out demons by the power of God. This means that God has begun to rule over you.”

BSB But if I drive out demons by [the] finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

BLB But if I cast out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

AICNT But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

OEB But, if it is by the hand of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God must already be upon you.

WEBBE But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.

LSV but if by the finger of God I cast forth the demons, then the Kingdom of God came unaware on you.

FBV However, if I am driving out demons by the power of God, then this proves God's kingdom has arrived. It's right here among you!

TCNT But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

T4T But because it is by the power [MTY] of God that I expel demons, I am showing you that the power of God to [MET] rule people’s lives has come to you.”

LEB But if I expel demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you!

BBE But if I, by the finger of God, send out evil spirits, then the kingdom of God has overtaken you.

Moff But if it is by the finger of God that I cast daemons out,
⇔ then the Reign of God has reached you already.

Wymth But if it is by the power of God that I drive out the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

ASV But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

DRA But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.

YLT but if by the finger of God I cast forth the demons, then come unawares upon you did the reign of God.

Drby But if by the finger of [fn]God I cast out demons, then the kingdom of [fn]God is come upon you.

11.20 Elohim

RV But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

SLT And if by the finger of God I cast out demons, then has the kingdom of God got beforehand to you.

Wbstr But if I with the finger of God cast out demons, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

KJB-1769 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

KJB-1611 But if I with the finger of God cast out deuils, no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps But yf I with the fynger of God cast out deuyls, no doubt the kyngdome of God is come vpon you.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Gnva But if I by ye finger of God cast out deuils, doutles the kingdome of God is come vnto you.
(But if I by ye/you_all finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God is come unto you. )

Cvdl But yf I cast out the deuels by the fynger of God, then is the kyngdome of God come vnto you.
(But if I cast out the devils by the finger of God, then is the kingdom of God come unto you.)

TNT But if I with the finger of God cast out devyls noo doute the kyngdome of God is come vpon you.
(But if I with the finger of God cast out devils noo doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. )

Wycl But if Y caste out fendis in the fyngir of God, thanne the rewme of God is comun among you.
(But if I cast/threw out fendis in the fyngir of God, then the realm of God is coming among you.)

Luth So ich aber durch Gottes Finger die Teufel austreibe, so kommt je das Reich Gottes zu euch.
(So I but through God’s finger the devil sprouts, so comes each/ever the kingdom God’s to/for you.)

ClVg Porro si in digito Dei ejicio dæmonia: profecto pervenit in vos regnum Dei.[fn]
(Further when/but_if in/into/on finger of_God eyicio demons: profecto arrived in/into/on you(pl) kingdom of_God. )

11.20 Porro, si in digito. Filius dicitur manus vel brachium Patris: Spiritus sanctus dicitur digitus propter differentiam variorum donorum, quæ per Spiritum sanctum hominibus dantur, sicut digiti inter se discreti sunt: nec nocet inæqualitas membrorum. Licet enim brachium majus sit digito, tamen brachium cum digito unum est corpus. Hoc digito scripta est lex in tabulis. Hunc digitum magi confessi sunt in Ægyto. Profecto pervenit, etc., regnum. Id est, judiciaria potestas Dei: qua bonos a malis secernet in die judicii. Vel, Regnum, id est, superna beatitudo. Quasi dicat: Si in Spiritu Dei ejicio dæmonia, sine dubio sciatis aditum regni cœlestis patefactum credentibus.

11.20 Porro, when/but_if in/into/on finger. Son it_is_said hands or arm(n) Father's: Spirit holy it_is_said digitus because differentiam various gifts, which through Spirit holy to_humans dantur, like fingers between himself discreti are: but_not nocet inæqualitas members. It’s_possible because arm(n) greater be finger, nevertheless arm(n) when/with finger one it_is body. This finger written it_is the_law in/into/on boards. This_one finger magi confessi are in/into/on Ægyto. Profecto arrived, etc., kingdom. That it_is, judgementsria power of_God: which goods from bad_things secernet in/into/on day judgement. Or, Regnum, that it_is, heavenly happiness. As_if let_him_say: When/But_if in/into/on By_Spirit of_God eyicio demons, without dubio you(pl)_know aditum of_the_kingdom heavenly patefactum to_believers.

UGNT εἰ δὲ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ, ἐγὼ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἡ Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ.
(ei de en daktulōi Theou, egō ekballō ta daimonia, ara efthasen ef’ humas haʸ Basileia tou Theou.)

SBL-GNT εἰ δὲ ἐν δακτύλῳ ⸀θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
(ei de en daktulōi ⸀theou ekballō ta daimonia, ara efthasen efʼ humas haʸ basileia tou theou.)

RP-GNT Εἰ δὲ ἐν δακτύλῳ θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
(Ei de en daktulōi theou ekballō ta daimonia, ara efthasen ef' humas haʸ basileia tou theou.)

TC-GNT Εἰ δὲ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ [fn]ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ.
(Ei de en daktulōi Theou ekballō ta daimonia, ara efthasen ef humas haʸ basileia tou Theou. )

11:20 εκβαλλω ¦ εγω εκβαλλω NA WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 11:14–23: Jesus proved that he did not use Satan’s power

This section is not explicitly connected with the preceding section in time, place, or theme.

In this section, Jesus cast out a demon that made a man mute (11:14). Some people who were there commented to each other that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan (11:15). Jesus gave them two reasons why this could not be true (11:17–19). He concluded that he cast out demons by the power of God (11:20). Then he told a parable (11:21–22) that showed that he is stronger than Satan.

Some other headings for this section are:

Jesus is stronger than Satan

Jesus and Beelzebub

Jesus sends unclean spirits away by defeating Satan

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 12:22–30 and Mark 3:20–27.

Paragraph 11:17–20

In this paragraph Jesus gave two arguments to prove that he was not using Beelzebul’s power to drive out demons. He was using God’s power. The two arguments are:

If he were using Beelzebul’s power, then Beelzebul would be fighting against his own demons and would destroy his own kingdom (11:17–18).
If he were using Beelzebul’s power, then his accusers would need to explain why they did not also accuse other Jewish exorcists of using Beelzebul’s power (11:19).

No one would accept the conclusion to these arguments, so there was only one alternative: Jesus was using God’s power (11:20).

11:20a

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,

But if/since I cast out demons by the power of God,
But since I use the power of God to throw out demons,
So clearly it is not Beelzebul’s power that I am using. On the contrary, God is the one who gives me power to cause evil spirits to leave people.

But: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But introduces a contrast. The contrast is between the untrue statement in 11:19a (“I drive out demons by Beelzebul”) and the true statement in 11:20a (“I drive out demons by the finger of God”).

Most English versions translate this conjunction here as But. It is also possible to use a separate negative phrase. For example:

No, it is rather by means of God’s power (GNT)

Use a natural way in your language to contrast these two statements.

if I drive out demons by the finger of God: In this context, the word if introduces something that is true. Another way to translate this is:

since I cast out demons by the finger of God

the finger of God: The Greek expression that the BSB translates literally as the finger of God is a figure of speech. It refers to God’s power. In many languages it will be necessary to translate the direct meaning of this figure. For example:

the power of God (NCV)

11:20b

then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

then this shows that God’s kingdom has come/arrived among you^(plur).”
then you^(plur) are now/already experiencing God’s power to rule people.”
And this proves that God has begun to rule among you^(plur).”

then: The Greek word that the BSB translates as then introduces a logical conclusion. It is not a time word. Since what Jesus was saying in 11:20a was true, what he says in 11:20b must be true also. For example:

it proves that… (CEV)

then it shows that…

then that means that…

the kingdom of God has come upon you: The phrase the kingdom of God refers to God’s rule in people’s lives. Jesus was saying that God had already begun to rule among the people to whom he was speaking. God was exercising his authority and power through Jesus. This is why Jesus was able to cast demons out of people.

Some ways to translate this are:

the Kingdom of God has arrived among you (NLT)

you are now experiencing God’s power to rule

God has begun to rule among you

The phrase kingdom of God also occurs in 9:2.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ & ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ, ἐγὼ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἡ Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ

if & by ˓the˒_finger ˱of˲_God (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐγώ ἐκβάλλω τά δαιμόνια ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ)

Jesus speaks as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what Jesus is saying is not certain, then you could translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [So I must be making demons leave people by the power of God. This shows that the kingdom of God has come upon you]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ

by ˓the˒_finger ˱of˲_God

This phrase refers to God’s power. Alternate translation: [by the power of God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἔφθασεν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἡ Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ

came on you_all the Kingdom ¬the ˱of˲_God

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun kingdom with a verb such as “rule.” This could mean: (1) the kingdom of God has arrived in this place, that is, its activities are happening here. Alternate translation: [God is ruling in this area] (2) the kingdom of God has arrived in time, that is, it already beginning. Alternate translation: [God is beginning to rule as king]

Parallel LUKE 11:20

Section 11:14–23: Jesus proved that he did not use Satan’s power

Paragraph 11:17–20

11:20a

11:20b