# Luke 15.11-32

<!-- 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/))
> 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> 13. <span class="rl-speech">And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.</span> 17. But when he came to himself he said, <span class="rl-speech">How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">I am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of thy hired servants.</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 21. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23. and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: 24. 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 elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26. And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be. 27. And he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him.</span> 29. But he answered and said to his father, <span class="rl-speech">Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.</span> 31. And he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.</span>** (Luke 15:9-32, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 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. 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. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 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. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 17. But when he came to himself he said, <span class="rl-speech">‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’</span>m dying with hunger! 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 no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ 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, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 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, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 24. for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. 25. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26. He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. 27. He said to him, <span class="rl-speech">‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’</span> 28. But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. 29. But he answered his father, <span class="rl-speech">‘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.</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">“He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">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.’”</span>** (Luke 15:9-32, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 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> 13. <span class="rl-speech">And 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.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.</span> 17. And when he came to himself, he said, <span class="rl-speech">How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">And 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.</span> 21. And 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. 22. But 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: 23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24. 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 elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27. And he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.</span> 29. And he answering said to his father, <span class="rl-speech">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:</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.</span> 31. And he said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">It 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.</span>** (Luke 15:9-32, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 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> 13. <span class="rl-speech">'And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,</span> 16. <span class="rl-speech">and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.</span> 17. 'And having come to himself, he said, <span class="rl-speech">How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin, to the heaven, and before thee,</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">'And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">and the son said to him, Father, I did sin, to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">'And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,</span> 24. <span class="rl-speech">because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">'And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,</span> 26. <span class="rl-speech">and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,</span> 27. and he said to him, <span class="rl-speech">Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">'And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him;</span> 29. and he answering said to the father, <span class="rl-speech">Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;</span> 30. <span class="rl-speech">but when thy son, this one who did devour thy living with harlots, came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf.</span> 31. 'And he said to him, <span class="rl-speech">Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;</span> 32. <span class="rl-speech">but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'</span>** (Luke 15:9-32, 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/).
- [G1401 - doulos](/codex/g1401-doulos/), *doulos* (Strong's G1401). Also appears in: [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/), [Matthew 18.23-35](/codex/matthew-18-23-35/), [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/).
- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi* (Strong's G1510). Also appears in: [Matthew 8.5-12](/codex/matthew-8-5-12/), [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/), [Matthew 18.20](/codex/matthew-18-20/).
- [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/).
- [G2198 - zao](/codex/g2198-zao/), *zao* (Strong's G2198). Also appears in: [Matthew 16.16](/codex/matthew-16-16/), [Matthew 26.57-68](/codex/matthew-26-57-68/), [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/).
- [G3498 - nekros](/codex/g3498-nekros/), *nekros* (Strong's G3498). Also appears in: [Matthew 23](/codex/matthew-23/), [Matthew 28.1-10](/codex/matthew-28-1-10/), [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/).
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas* (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 2.1-6](/codex/matthew-2-1-6/), [Matthew 2.16](/codex/matthew-2-16/).
- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G4314 - pros](/codex/g4314-pros/), *pros* (Strong's G4314). Also appears in: [Matthew 3.13](/codex/matthew-3-13/), [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/).
- [G5207 - huios](/codex/g5207-huios/), *huios* (Strong's G5207). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 1.21](/codex/matthew-1-21/).

## 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

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Forgiveness](/codex/argument-from-forgiveness/)
- [Argument from the Confession-Catharsis Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-confession-catharsis-convergence/), via [Luke 15.18-21](/codex/luke-15-18-21/)
- [Argument from the Festival-Feast Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-festival-feast-convergence/)
- [Argument from the Universal Imagination Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-universal-imagination-convergence/)
- [Conditional Immortality from Text-First Method](/codex/conditional-immortality-from-text-first-method/), via [Luke 15.24](/codex/luke-15-24/)

**Concepts:**

- [100 Verses of Compassion and God's Goodness](/codex/100-verses-of-compassion-and-gods-goodness/), via [Luke 15.20](/codex/luke-15-20/)
- [Feeling Distant from God](/codex/feeling-distant-from-god/), via [Luke 15.20](/codex/luke-15-20/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Luke 15](/codex/luke-15/)
- [Psychology of Lowered Defenses](/codex/psychology-of-lowered-defenses/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0622 - apollymi](/codex/g0622-apollymi/)
- [G3498 - nekros](/codex/g3498-nekros/), via [Luke 15.24](/codex/luke-15-24/), [Luke 15.32](/codex/luke-15-32/)
- [G932 - basileia](/codex/g932-basileia/), via [Luke 15.18](/codex/luke-15-18/)

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