Luke 15 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
1 Ἦσαν δὲ ἐγγίζοντες αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ τελῶναι καὶ [οἱ] ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
2 καὶ διεγόγγυζον οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς λέγοντες ὅτι οὗτος ἁμαρτωλοὺς προσδέχεται καὶ συνεσθίει αὐτοῖς.
3 And he made a story for them, saying,
3 He told them this parable:
3 εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην λέγων·
4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?
4 “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
4 τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ ἀπολέσας ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως οὗ εὕρῃ αὐτό;
5 And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
5 καὶ εὑρὼν ἐπιτίθησιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους αὐτοῦ χαίρων,
6 And when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbours and friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which had gone away.
6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
6 καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον συγκαλεῖ τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτονας λέγων αὐτοῖς· συγχάρητέ μοι ὅτι εὗρον τὸ πρόβατόν μου τὸ ἀπολωλός.
7 I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart.
7 I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
7 λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτω χαρὰ ἔσται ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις, οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσι μετανοίας.
8 Or what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care till she sees it?
8 “Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
8 Ἢ τίς γυνὴ δραχμὰς ἔχουσα δέκα, ἐὰν ἀπολέσῃ δραχμὴν μίαν, οὐχὶ ἅπτει λύχνον καὶ σαροῖ τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ ζητεῖ ἐπιμελῶς ἕως ὅτου εὕρῃ;
9 And when she has it again, she gets her friends and neighbours together, saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had gone from me.
9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’
9 καὶ εὑροῦσα συγκαλεῖ τὰς φίλας καὶ τὰς γείτονας λέγουσα· συγχάρητέ μοι ὅτι εὗρον τὴν δραχμὴν ἣν ἀπώλεσα.
10 Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
10 οὕτω, λέγω ὑμῖν, χαρὰ γίνεται ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι.
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
11 Εἶπε δέ· ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχε δύο υἱούς.
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them.
12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them.
12 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί· πάτερ, δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας. καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον.
13 And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
13 καὶ μετ᾽ οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας συναγαγὼν ἅπαντα ὁ νεώτερος υἱὸς ἀπεδήμησεν εἰς χώραν μακράν, καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισε τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως.
14 And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
14 δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὸς κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι.
15 And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
15 καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐκολλήθη ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦ βόσκειν χοίρους.
16 And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, and no one gave him anything.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
16 καὶ ἐπεθύμει γεμίσαι τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν κερατίων ὧν ἤσθιον οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδίδου αὐτῷ.
17 But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food!
17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
17 εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν εἶπε· πόσοι μίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός μου περισσεύουσιν ἄρτων, ἐγὼ δὲ λιμῷ ἀπόλλυμαι!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
18 ἀναστὰς πορεύσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ· πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου.
19 I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants.
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
19 οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου· ποίησόν με ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου.
20 And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
20 “He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.
20 καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ. ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν.
21 And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
21 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.’
21 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ υἱός· πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου, καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου.
22 But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
22 εἶπε δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ· ἐξενέγκατε τὴν στολὴν τὴν πρώτην καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν, καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας,
23 And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad.
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
23 καὶ ἐνέγκαντες τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτὸν θύσατε, καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν,
24 For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
24 ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη. καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι.
25 Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
25 Ἦν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ ὡς ἐρχόμενος ἤγγισε τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἤκουσε συμφωνίας καὶ χορῶν,
26 And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be.
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
26 καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ἕνα τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα.
27 And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’
27 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν.
28 But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in.
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
28 ὠργίσθη δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν. ὁ οὖν πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν.
29 But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends:
29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
29 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε τῷ πατρί· ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ·
30 But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
30 ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος, ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον μετὰ πορνῶν, ἦλθεν, ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν.
31 And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours.
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
31 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν·
32 But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”
32 εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς ἦν καὶ εὑρέθη.
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Timothy 1:15; Matthew 9:10–13; Luke 5:29–32; Matthew 21:28–31; Ezekiel 18:27
- 2 Matthew 9:11; Luke 7:39; Luke 19:7; Luke 5:30; Acts 11:3
- 4 Ezekiel 34:16; Ezekiel 34:11–12; Matthew 18:12–14; Luke 19:10; 1 Peter 2:25
- 5 Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 46:3–4; Luke 19:9; Micah 7:18; Isaiah 40:10–11
- 6 Luke 15:10; Luke 15:24; 1 Peter 2:25; Psalm 119:176; John 15:14
- 7 Luke 15:10; Luke 5:32; Luke 15:32; Matthew 18:13; Proverbs 30:12
- 8 Ezekiel 34:12; Luke 19:10; John 10:16; John 11:52; Ephesians 2:17
- 9 Luke 15:6–7
- 10 Luke 15:7; Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Ezekiel 18:23; Luke 13:5
- 12 Deuteronomy 21:16–17; Mark 12:44; Psalm 17:14; Luke 15:30
- 13 Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 29:3; Jeremiah 2:5; Proverbs 23:19–22; Luke 15:30
- 14 2 Chronicles 33:11; Ezekiel 16:27; Hosea 2:9–14; Amos 8:9–12
- 15 Titus 3:3; 2 Timothy 2:25–26; Isaiah 1:5; Nahum 3:6; Jeremiah 5:3
- 16 Romans 6:19–21; Hosea 12:1; Isaiah 44:20; Lamentations 4:5; Jonah 2:2–8
- 17 Ezekiel 18:28; Ephesians 2:4–5; Luke 15:18–19; Ephesians 5:14; Acts 16:29–30
- 18 Lamentations 3:40; 1 John 1:8–10; Luke 15:21; Luke 18:13; Psalm 51:3–5
- 19 Job 42:6; Psalm 84:10; 1 Peter 5:6; James 4:8–10; Joshua 9:24–25
- 20 Psalm 103:10–13; Psalm 86:5; Psalm 86:15; Ephesians 2:13; Isaiah 49:15
- 21 Psalm 51:4; Luke 15:18–19; Jeremiah 3:13; 1 Corinthians 8:12; Romans 2:4
- 22 Esther 8:2; Genesis 41:42; Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 6:11; Esther 3:10
- 23 Matthew 22:2–14; Psalm 63:5; Isaiah 25:6; Genesis 18:7; Isaiah 65:13–14
- 24 Ephesians 2:5; Ezekiel 34:16; Luke 19:10; Colossians 2:13; Luke 15:4
- 25 Psalm 150:4; Jeremiah 31:4; Luke 15:11–12; Psalm 126:1; Luke 7:32
- 27 Luke 15:30; Philemon 16; Acts 22:13; Acts 9:17
- 28 1 Samuel 18:8; Jonah 4:9; Genesis 4:5–7; Luke 15:2; Luke 7:39
- 29 Luke 15:7; Zechariah 7:3; Luke 18:11–12; Malachi 3:14; Luke 18:20–21
- 30 Luke 15:12–13; Proverbs 29:3; Luke 18:11; Luke 15:32; Exodus 32:7
- 31 Mark 7:27–28; Romans 11:1; Romans 9:4; Matthew 20:13–16; Romans 11:35
- 32 Ephesians 2:1–10; Luke 15:24; Isaiah 35:10; Romans 3:4; Psalm 51:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
In the same way they oracularly declare, that one power having departed also from the Duodecad, has perished; and this was represented by the woman who lost the drachma, and, lighting a lamp, again found it.
Far, indeed, was I wandering away from Thee, being even shut out from the very husks of the swine, whom with husks I fed. For how much better, then, are the fables of the grammarians and poets than these snares!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
But Luke saith, that He even brought it on his shoulders, and that "There was greater joy over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons." And from His forsaking those that were saved for it, and from His taking more pleasure in this one, He showed His earnestness about it to be great.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… Christ, as yet by calling only, but ere long by grace also, make you a new heart and a new spirit, that there may be gladness among the inhabitants of heaven: for if over one sinner that repenteth there is joy, according to the Gospel, how much more shall the salvation of so many souls move the inhabitants of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… no repentance." And with much joyfulness do we hear, whenever we hear, how the lost sheep is brought home again on the Shepherd's shoulders, while the angels rejoice, and the drachma is restored to Thy treasury, the neighhours rejoicing with the woman who found it; and the joy of the solemn service of Thy house constraineth to tears, when in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)