Lk 17:20 Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 17:21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Various interpretations have been proposed:

(a) Some think that this is a later addition to the Gospel, attempting to deal with the so-called ‘delay of the Parousia’ and seeking to ‘spiritualise’ the notion of the kingdom of God.

This proposal is implausible in a number of ways, not least in that vv22-38 contain apocalyptic teaching.

(b) Others think that Jesus is referring to a mystical and spiritual kingdom: the kingdom is ‘within your hearts’.  So Robertson, GNB, Hendriksen and others.

But, apart from any other considerations, Jesus cold scarcely have said this to Pharisees, who are almost always characterised in this Gospel as more or less antagonistic towards Jesus.

Hendriksen, however, meets the above objection:

‘The pronoun you (whether s. or pl.) has more than one meaning. The most common meaning is “the person(s) addressed.” But another and not at all uncommon meaning, both in Greek and in English (and other languages), is “a person” or “one.” For example, “You don’t know what love is unless you have experienced and practiced it,” meaning “A person does not know,” etc.’

(c) Many interpreters consider the best translation to be ‘among you’ (NJB, NAB, NRSV, Ryle, Morris), or ‘in your midst’ (NASB, ESV, TNIV, NIV 2011, Poole, Gundry).

A NET translation note:

‘[‘In your midst’] is a far better translation than “in you.” Jesus would never tell the hostile Pharisees that the kingdom was inside them. The reference is to Jesus present in their midst. He brings the kingdom. Another possible translation would be “in your grasp.”’

The suggested translation ‘within your reach’ would, perhaps, imply that the kingdom is available, subject to repentance.  But ths is rather conjectural.

Perhaps Jesus means, ‘the kingdom of God is as good as present, since I am here among you.’  Bock (IVPNTC) puts it like this:

‘It is present in Jesus, so he and it stand before you. You do not have to look for it, because it is right before your face! This answer is very much like 7:22–23 and 11:20. It also fits the time perspective of 7:28 and 16:16, as well as the explicit declarations of current fulfillment in 4:16–23.’

Edwards agrees that the expression could be translated, ‘the kingdom of God is within you’, but notes that ‘you’ is plural, giving a much less subjective connotation, and something nearer to ‘among you’.  This would mean that ‘Jesus among them is the presence of the kingdom, but his presence is not heralded by a display of wonders.’

Harper’s Bible Commentary:

‘This phrase can be translated “within you” but the “you” is plural, best translated “among you,” a much less subjective perspective.’

Shogren remarks that although the primary meaning of ‘entos‘ is ‘within’, when used with a plural object it often means ‘between’ or ‘among’.

Shogren thinks that the meaning is something like:

‘Do not concentrate on the future kingdom, when you can already see clearly in my actions that God is acting with the power of the kingdom among you: in the preaching of the good news, in exorcisms, in healings.’

‘“Within you,” therefore, seems to be Luke’s way of expressing the inward nature and dynamic of the kingdom of God, rather than refer to any actual presence in or among the Pharisees.’ (DJG)

Perrin favours the view just outlined, but thinks that the meaning may possibly be: ‘The kingdom of God is present among you, in my work and ministry, and it is therefore within your grasp.’

This saying appears to be in conflict with Lk 22:18, where Jesus speaks of the kingdom as future, “from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  But this is yet another instance of the Bible’s now/not yet theme:

‘In the present context Jesus was stressing that the kingdom is within reach. Jesus’ presence and activity meant that the kingdom did not need to be searched for; Jesus brought it with him (Luke 11:20 is similar in force). In what follows, Jesus indicated that the end or consummation of kingdom promise will come about at the return of the Son of Man, but that cannot take place before his suffering. This return will happen in the midst of life when many will not be ready for it or for the judgment that comes with it.’

(Holman Apologetics Commentary)