Luke · Catholic Public Domain Version
Luke 15 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Now tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him, so that they might listen to him.
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This one accepts sinners and eats with them.”
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
3 And he told this parable to them, saying:
3 He told them this parable:
4 “What man among you, who has one hundred sheep, and if he will have lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one whom he had lost, until he finds it?
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?
5 And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: ‘Congratulate me! For I have found my sheep, which had been lost.’
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!’
7 I say to you, that there will be so much more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, than over the ninety-nine just, who do not need to repent.
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.
8 Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she will have lost one drachma, would not light a candle, and sweep the house, and diligently search until she finds 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?
9 And 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 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!’
10 So I say to you, there will be joy before the Angels of God over even one sinner who is repentant.”
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
11 And he said: “A certain man had two sons.
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.’ And he divided the estate 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.
13 And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury.
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.
14 And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be 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.
15 And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
17 And returning to his senses, he said: ‘How many hired hands in my father’s house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine!
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!
18 I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.’
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
20 And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
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.
21 And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called 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.’
22 But the father said to his servants: ‘Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. 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.
23 And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast.
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
24 For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast.
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
25 But his elder son was in the field. And when he returned and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and he questioned him as to what these things meant.
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
27 And he said to him: ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him 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.’
28 Then he became indignant, and he was unwilling to enter. Therefore, his father, going out, began to plead with him.
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
29 And in response, he said to his father: ‘Behold, I have been serving you for so many years. And I have never transgressed your commandment. And yet, you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might 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.
30 Yet after this son of yours returned, who has devoured his substance with loose women, you have killed the fatted calf for him.’
30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31 But he said to him: ‘Son, you are with me always, and all that I have is yours.
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
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.’”
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)