Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!
Parallel translations
- WEB Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he?
- KJV Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
- BSB Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
- ESV or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
- NKJV Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
- NASB Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
No father would hand his child a scorpion in place of an egg. Good fathers give what truly helps, not what harms.
Overview
The second illustration reinforces the goodness of fatherly giving. The grotesque substitution underscores that God will never answer prayer with harm. It assures believers that the Father's gifts are always for their good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Ezek 2:6You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
- Luke 10:19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
- Rev 9:10They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 11:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.