Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Parallel translations
- WEB neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.”
- KJV Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
- NKJV nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
- NASB nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
- NLT You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”
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
Jesus says God's Kingdom is already present 'within' or 'among' them, not located in a place to point at. The King himself stands among them.
Overview
The phrase may mean "within you" (inwardly, in the heart) or "among you" (in your midst), the latter widely favored since Jesus addressed hostile Pharisees. Either way, the Kingdom is not a future spot to be discovered but a present reality breaking in through Jesus. The King's presence means the Kingdom has drawn near, though its full consummation is still to come.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 12:28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- Rom 14:17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Mark 13:21At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
- Col 1:27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- Luke 10:9–11Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’
- Matt 24:23–28At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
- Luke 17:23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.
- Luke 21:8Jesus answered, “See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
- John 1:26“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 17:21 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.