# Luke 15.10

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Luke](/codex/luke-the-evangelist/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 8. <span class="rl-speech">Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.</span>
>
> **10. <span class="rl-speech">Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.</span>**
>
> 11. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">A certain man had two sons:</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of thy substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.</span> (Luke 15:8-12, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 8. <span class="rl-speech">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?</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">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.’</span>
>
> **10. <span class="rl-speech">Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”</span>**
>
> 11. He said, <span class="rl-speech">“A certain man had two sons.</span> 12. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. (Luke 15:8-12, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 8. <span class="rl-speech">Either 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? <sup>pieces: drachma, here translated a piece of silver, is the eighth part of an ounce, which cometh to seven pence halfpenny, and is equal to the Roman penny</sup></span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">And 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.</span>
>
> **10. <span class="rl-speech">Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.</span>**
>
> 11. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">A certain man had two sons:</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">And 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.</span> (Luke 15:8-12, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 8. <span class="rl-speech">'Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?</span> 9. <span class="rl-speech">and having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I lost.</span>
>
> **10. <span class="rl-speech">'So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'</span>**
>
> 11. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">'A certain man had two sons,</span> 12. <span class="rl-speech">and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.</span> (Luke 15:8-12, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Luke the physician (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Theophilus + Gentile Christian audience (companion to Acts)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); composition possibly Caesarea or Rome
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G1096 - ginomai](/codex/g1096-ginomai/), *ginomai* (Strong's G1096). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 5.17-18](/codex/matthew-5-17-18/), [Matthew 8.16](/codex/matthew-8-16/).
- [G1520 - heis](/codex/g1520-heis/), *heis* (Strong's G1520). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.17-18](/codex/matthew-5-17-18/), [Matthew 6.24](/codex/matthew-6-24/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos* (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/), [Matthew 5.9](/codex/matthew-5-9/).
- [G3340 - metanoeo](/codex/g3340-metanoeo/), *metanoeo* (Strong's G3340). Also appears in: [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/), [Luke 10.13-15](/codex/luke-10-13-15/), [Luke 15.7](/codex/luke-15-7/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Luke 15](/codex/luke-15/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0622 - apollymi](/codex/g0622-apollymi/), via [Luke 15.8-10](/codex/luke-15-8-10/)

**Passages:**

- [Luke 10.13-15](/codex/luke-10-13-15/)
- [Luke 15.7](/codex/luke-15-7/)
- [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/)

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