You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”
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.
- BSB Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
- 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.”
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 by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.
- Rom 14:17for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Mark 13:21Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.
- Col 1:27to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;
- Luke 10:9–11Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’
- Matt 24:23–28“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it.
- Luke 17:23They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away, nor follow after them,
- Luke 21:8He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.
- John 1:26John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know.
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 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.