Luke 15
New Catholic Bible
Salvation—Joy and Torment of God[a]
Chapter 15
This Man Receives Sinners.[b] 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus, 2 and the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
The Parable of the Lost Sheep.[c] 3 Therefore, he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, if you have a hundred sheep and lose one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he lays it on his shoulders joyfully. 6 Then, when he returns home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin.[d] 8 “Or again, what woman who has ten silver coins[e] and loses one will not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching thoroughly until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 The Parable of the Lost (or Prodigal) Son.[f] Then he said: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that I will inherit.’ And so the father divided the property between them.
13 “A few days later the younger son gathered together everything he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissolute living. 14 When he had spent it all, a severe famine afflicted that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who sent him to his farm to feed the pigs.[g] 16 He would have willingly filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “Then he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more food than they can consume, while here I am, dying of hunger. 18 I will depart from this place and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me like one of your hired workers.” ’
20 “So he set out for his father’s house. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the finest robe we have and put it on him. Place a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast. 24 For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, and now he has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now the elder son had been out in the fields, and as he returned and drew near the house, he could hear the sounds of music and dancing. 26 He summoned one of the servants and inquired what all this meant. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 The elder son then became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him, 29 but he said to his father in reply, ‘All these years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never once disobeyed your orders. Even so, you have never even given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returns after wasting his inheritance from you on prostitutes, you kill the fatted calf for him.’
31 “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are with me always, and everything I have is yours. 32 But it was only right that we should celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and now he has been found.’ ”
Footnotes
- Luke 15:1 These three joyous parables of Luke’s Gospel disclose the sentiments that the Father and Jesus have toward human beings. God is untiringly concerned for those who are far off, the sinners or unbelievers. His joy is to seek out and find those who are lost. This desire and this joy of God are revealed to us in the comportment of Christ himself toward sinners. In turn, the Church must trust in the mercy of God and must seek out and welcome those who seem far away. May she always bear witness to the value that human beings have in the eyes of God.
- Luke 15:1 In the name of God’s love for sinners, Jesus overthrows several customs of his day. He refuses to accept the attitudes held by well-regarded religious figures: scorn toward others and smugness in their own self-sufficiency.
- Luke 15:3 The parable of the lost sheep pushes antithesis to the extreme so that persons may never doubt God’s tenderness for them.
- Luke 15:8 The parable of the lost coin demonstrates what a great contrast there is between the joy of heaven and the disdain of the Pharisees and the so-called clean!
- Luke 15:8 Coins: literally, “drachmas,” a drachma being the Greek coin corresponding to the Roman denarius, a laborer’s daily wage.
- Luke 15:11 The parable of the prodigal son, one of the most enchanting stories of Jesus, completes the two preceding parables. It is God who awaits sinners, and it is humanity that is encouraged to seek God. We recognize in it all the misery of sin: abandonment, solitude, and distress. The parable describes the path to conversion and finally the great certitude of the believer: beyond all human hope, God harbors for every person the unfailing affection of a father for his child. He awaits the child and welcomes it joyously. It is easy to see in the discontent of the elder son the anger of the Pharisees at the welcome Jesus gives to sinners.
- Luke 15:15 Pigs: unclean animals for the Jews.
Luke 15
New King James Version
The Parable of the Lost Sheep(A)
15 Then (B)all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man [a]receives sinners (C)and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
4 (D)“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, (E)‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep (F)which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (G)than over ninety-nine [b]just persons who (H)need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver [c]coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them (I)his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with [d]prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the [e]pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, (J)I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But (K)when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven (L)and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, [f]‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 (M)for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, (N)for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
Footnotes
- Luke 15:2 welcomes
- Luke 15:7 upright
- Luke 15:8 Gr. drachma, a valuable coin often worn in a ten-piece garland by married women
- Luke 15:13 wasteful
- Luke 15:16 carob pods
- Luke 15:22 NU Quickly bring
Luke 15
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
15 Now the tax collectors and [notorious and [a]especially wicked] sinners were all coming near to [Jesus] to listen to Him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering and indignantly complaining, saying, This man accepts and receives and welcomes [[b]preeminently wicked] sinners and eats with them.
3 So He told them this parable:
4 What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his [own] shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he gets home, he summons together [his] friends and [his] neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [[c]especially] wicked person who repents ([d]changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
8 Or what woman, having ten [silver] drachmas [each one equal to a day’s wages], if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it?
9 And when she has found it, she summons her [women] friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost.
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [[e]especially] wicked person who repents ([f]changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).
11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.(A)
13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
14 And when he had spent all he had, a [g]mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.
15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.
16 And he would gladly have fed on and [h]filled his belly with the [i]carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].(B)
17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.
20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [[j]fervently].
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]!
22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.(C)
23 And bring out [k]that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us [l]revel and feast and be happy and make merry,
24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to [m]revel and feast and make merry.
25 But his older son was in the field; and as he returned and came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And having called one of the servant [boys] to him, he began to ask what this meant.
27 And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed [n]that [wheat-]fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and well.
28 But [the elder brother] was angry [with deep-seated wrath] and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him,
29 But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me [so much as] a [little] kid, that I might [o]revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends;
30 But when this son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you have killed for him [p]that [wheat-] fattened calf!
31 And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 But it was fitting to make merry, to [q]revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!
Footnotes
- Luke 15:1 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:2 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:7 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:7 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:10 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:10 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Luke 15:14 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
- Luke 15:16 Many ancient manuscripts so read.
- Luke 15:16 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
- Luke 15:20 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
- Luke 15:23 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
- Luke 15:23 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
- Luke 15:24 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
- Luke 15:27 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
- Luke 15:29 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
- Luke 15:30 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
- Luke 15:32 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
