Matthew 7:7

Ask, Seek, Knock

7:7 “Ask ¹  and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door ²  will be opened for you.

Matthew 7:14

7:14 But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 11:29

11:29 Take my yoke ³  on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 12:43

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

12:43 “When ⁴  an unclean spirit ⁵  goes out of a person, ⁶  it passes through waterless places ⁷  looking for rest but ⁸  does not find it.

Matthew 16:25

16:25 For whoever wants to save his life ⁹  will lose it, ¹⁰  but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 26:59

26:59 The ¹¹  chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.

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¹ sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.

² tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation here and in v. 8 for clarity.

³ sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restrictions that a teacher or rabbi would place on his followers.

⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁵ sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.

⁶ tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females. This same use occurs in v. 45.

⁷ sn The background for the reference to waterless places is not entirely clear, though some Jewish texts suggest spirits must have a place to dwell, but not with water (Luke 8:29-31; Tob 8:3). Some suggest that the image of the desert or deserted cities as the places demons dwell is where this idea started (Isa 13:21; 34:14).

⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁹ tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 25-26).

¹⁰ sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

¹¹ tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.