Luke 15

Luke · Chapter 15

Luke 15:20

1Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.3And he spake this parable unto them, saying,4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.11And he said, A certain man had two sons:12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
AndκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

having risen upἀναστὰςanastasG0450
to arise

ἀνίστημι (anistēmi) ἀνίστημι (ἀνά, ἵστημι), [in LXX chiefly for קוּם ;] 1. causal, in fut. and 1 aor. act., with accusative, to raise up: Act.9:41; from death, Jhn.6:39, Act.2:32; to raise up, cause to be born or appear: Mat.22:24, Act.3:22, 26. 2. Intrans., in mid. and 2 aor act.; (a) to rise: from lying, Mrk.1:35; from sitting, Luk.4:16; to leave a place, Mat.9:9; pleonastically, as Heb. קוּם, before verbs of going, Mrk.10:1, al. (see Dalman, Words, 23; M, Pr., 14); of the dead, Mat.17:23, Mrk.8:31; before ἐκ νεκρῶν, Mat.17:9, Mrk.9:9; …

he wentἦλθενēlthenG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

toπρὸςprosG4314
to/with

πρός (pros) πρός, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative I. I. C. genitive, of motion from a place, from the side of, hence metaphorically, in the interests of, Act.27:34 (cf. Page, in l.). II. II. C. dative, of local proximity, hard by, near, at: Mrk.5:11, Luk.19:37, Jhn.18:16 20:11, 12 Rev.1:13. III. C. accusative, of motion or direction towards a place or object, to, towards. 1. Of place, …

fatherπατέραpateraG3962
father

πατήρ (patēr) πατήρ, πατρός, -τρί, τέρα, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for אָב ;] a father; 1. prop., (a) of the male parent: Mat.2:22, Luk.1:17, Jhn.4:53; anarth., Heb.12:7 (M, Pr., 82 f.); pl., of both parents (cl.), Heb.11:23; οἱ π. τ. σαρκός, Heb.12:9; (b) of a forefather or ancestor (in cl. usually in pl.; Hom., al.): Mat.3:9, Luk.1:73, Jhn.8:39, al.; pl., Mat.23:30, 32 Luk.6:23, 26 Jhn.4:20, 1Co.10:1, al. 2. Metaphorical, (a) of an author, originator, or archetype (= αἴτιος, ἀρχηγός, etc.; Pind., Plat., al.): Jhn.8:41-44, Rom.4:11, 12 16. …

of himselfἑαυτοῦ.¶he'autouG1438
/him/herself

αὑτοῦ (ahutou) αὑτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ = ἑαυτοῦ (which see), Mat.6:34, Luk.12:17, al. (MM, see word) (AS)

StillἜτιEtiG2089
still

ἔτι (eti) ἔτι adv., yet, as yet, still; 1. of time; (a) of the present (adhuc): Mrk.5:35, 1Co.3:3 15:17, Gal.1:10, al.; (b) of the past, mostly with impf.: Mat.12:46, Luk.8:49 15:20, Jhn.20:1, Act.9:1, Rom.5:6, 8, 2Th.2:5, Heb.7:10 9:8, al.; (with) of the future: Luk.1:15, 2Co.1:10; (d) with a neg.: Mat.5:13, Luk.16:2 20:36, Heb.10:2, Rev.3:12 20:3, al. …

nowδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

heαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

farμακρὰνmakranG3112
far

μακράν (makran) μακράν (prop. fem. accusative of μακρός, Sc. ὁδόν), adv. , [in LXX for רָחוֹק hi., רָחַק, etc. ;] a long way, far: Luk.15:20, Act.22:21; before ἀπό, Mat.8:30, Luk.7:6, Jhn.21:8, Act.17:27; id. metaphorically, Mrk.12:34; οἱ εἰς μ., Act.2:39 (cf. Isa.2:2); metaphorically, οἱ ποτὲ ὄντες μ. (opposite to ἐγγύς), Eph.2:13; οἱ μ., Eph.2:17.† (AS)

being distantἀπέχοντοςapechontosG0568
to receive/avoid

ἀπέχει (apechei) to receive (in full); to be distant; (middle) to abstain, avoid trans. to have in full what is due or is sought, Mt. 6:2, 5, 16; Lk. 6:24; Phil. 4:18; to have altogether, Phlm. 15; hence, it is enough, Mk. 14:41; intransitive to be distant, Lk. 7:6; to be estranged, Mt. 15:8; Mk. 7:6, middle to abstain from, Acts 14:20

he sawεἶδενeidenG1492H
to perceive: understand

εἴδω (eidō) οἶδα, (from same root as εἶδον, which see), [in LXX chiefly for ידע ;] pf. with present meaning (plpf. as impf.; on irregular tense-forms, see App.), to have seen or perceived, hence, to know, have knowledge of: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.25:13, Mrk.10:19, Jhn.10:4, Rom.7:7, al.; with accusative of person(s), Mat.26:72, Jhn.1:31, Act.3:16, al.; τ. θεόν, 1Th.4:5, Tit.1:16, al.; with accusative and inf., Luk.4:41, al.; before ὅτι, Mat.9:6, Luk.20:21, Jhn.3:2, Rom.2:2 11:2, al.; before quaest. indir., Mat.26:70, Jhn.9:21, Eph.1:18, al.; with inf., to know how (cl.), Mat.7:11, Luk.11:13, P …

himαὐτὸνautonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

fatherπατὴρpatērG3962
father

πατήρ (patēr) πατήρ, πατρός, -τρί, τέρα, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for אָב ;] a father; 1. prop., (a) of the male parent: Mat.2:22, Luk.1:17, Jhn.4:53; anarth., Heb.12:7 (M, Pr., 82 f.); pl., of both parents (cl.), Heb.11:23; οἱ π. τ. σαρκός, Heb.12:9; (b) of a forefather or ancestor (in cl. usually in pl.; Hom., al.): Mat.3:9, Luk.1:73, Jhn.8:39, al.; pl., Mat.23:30, 32 Luk.6:23, 26 Jhn.4:20, 1Co.10:1, al. 2. Metaphorical, (a) of an author, originator, or archetype (= αἴτιος, ἀρχηγός, etc.; Pind., Plat., al.): Jhn.8:41-44, Rom.4:11, 12 16. …

of himαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

was moved with compassion,ἐσπλαγχνίσθη,esplagchnisthēG4697
to pity

σπλαγχνίζω (splagchnizō) σπλαγχνίζομαι (σπλάγχνον), [in LXX (act., -ίζω): Pro.17:5 A, 2Ma.6:8 (= -εύω) * ;] to be moved as to the σπλάγχνα (which see), hence, to feel pity or compassion: absol., Luk.10:33 15:20; ptcp., σπλαγχνισθείς, with indic., Mat.18:27 20:34, Mrk.1:41; before ἐπί, with dative of person(s), Mat.14:14, Luk.7:13; ἐπί, with accusative, Mat.15:32, Mrk.6:34 8:2 9:22; ωερί, Mat.9:36. (The word is elsewhere found only in Sm: 1Ki.23:21, Eze.24:21, Test. Zeb., 4:6-7; see Thayer, see word; MM, xxiii quote Thumb, Hellen., 123 as practically confirming Lft. on Php.1:8, in the suggestion that the verb was a co …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

having runδραμὼνdramōnG5143
to run

τρέχω (trechō) τρέχω [in LXX chiefly for רוּץ ;] to run: Mrk.5:6, Jhn.20:2, 4, 1Co.9:24 9:26; with inf., Mat.28:8; before ἐπί, Luk.24:12 [T [WH] R, mg., om.]; εἰς, Rev.9:9; ptcp., δραμών, with indic., Mat.27:48, Mrk.15:36, Luk.15:20. Metaphorical, from runners in a race, of swiftness or of effort to attain an end: Rom.9:16, Gal.2:2 5:7, Php.2:16; τ. ἀγῶνα (Hdt., Eur., al.), Heb.12:1; ὁ λόγος τ. κυρίου (cf. Psa.147:4), ἕως τάχους δραμεῖται ὁ λ. αὐτοῦ), 2Th.3:1 (cf. εἰς-, κατα-, περι-, προ-, προσ-, συν-, ἐπι-συν-, ὑπο-τρέχω) δράμω, obsol., to run, see: τρέχω (AS)

he fellἐπέπεσενepepesenG1968
to fall/press upon

ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō) ἐπι-πίπτω [in LXX chiefly for נָפַל ;] to fall upon (Field, Notes, 25): with dative of person(s), Mrk.3:10 (see Swete, in l), Act.20:10; before ἐπὶ τ. τράχηλον (as Gen.46:29, Tob.11:8, 3Ma.5:49, al.), Luk.15:20, Act.20:37. Metaphorical, φόβος, Luk.1:12, Act.19:17, Rev.11:11; ὀνειδισμοί, Rom.15:3 (LXX); of the Holy Spirit: before ἐπί, with dative, Act.8:16; ἐπί, with accusative, Act.10:44 11:15; absol., Act.23:7.† (AS)

uponἐπὶepiG1909
upon/to/against

ἐπί (epi) ἐπί (before a smooth breathing ἐπ᾽, before a rough breathing ἐφ᾽), prep. with genitive, dative, accusative (accusative most frequently in NT), with primary sense of superposition, on, upon. I. C. genitive, 1. of place, answering the question, where? …

neckτράχηλονtrachēlonG5137
neck

τράχηλος (trachēlos) τράχηλος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for צַוַּאר, also forעֹרֶף, etc. ;] the neck: Mat.18:6, Mrk.9:42, Luk.17:2; ἐπιπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν τ., to embrace (Gen.46:29), Luk.15:20, Act.20:37. Metaphorical, ὑποθεῖναι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τ. (for similar phrase in π., see Zorell, see word), Rom.16:4; ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τ., Act.15:10.† (AS)

of himαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

he kissedκατεφίλησενkatephilēsenG2705
to kiss

καταφιλέω (kataphileō) κατα-φιλέω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for נָשַׁק ;] to kiss fervently, kiss affectionately: Mat.26:49, Mrk.14:45, Luk.7:38, 45 15:20, Act.20:37.† (AS)

him.αὐτόν.autonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.