Christian Standard Bible
Luke 15:20
20So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
Luke 15:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And he arose and came to his father. But 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.
Context of Luke 15:20
18I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Read all of Luke 15Luke 15:20 word by word
καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ.¶ Ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη, καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he aroseἀνίστημιanistēmi · to ariseG450
- and cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- hisἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- when heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- wasἀπέχωapechō · to have in fullG568
- yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
- a great way offμακράνmakran · farG3112
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- had compassionσπλαγχνίζωsplagchnizomai · to pityG4697
- ranτρέχωtrechō · to runG5143
- and fellἐπιπίπτωepipiptō · to fall/press uponG1968
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- neckτράχηλοςtrachēlos · neckG5137
- kissedκαταφιλέωkataphileō · to kissG2705
Cross-references for Luke 15:20
- Deuteronomy 30:2and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul by doing everything I am commanding you today,
- Job 33:27He will look at men and say, “I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
- Psalms 86:5For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.
- Psalms 103:10He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.
- Isaiah 49:15“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found; call to him while he is near.
- Isaiah 57:18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
- Jeremiah 31:20Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.
- Ezekiel 16:6“‘I passed by you and saw you thrashing around in your blood, and I said to you as you lay in your blood, “Live!” Yes, I said to you as you lay in your blood, “Live!”
- Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred!
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love.
- Acts 2:39For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
- Ephesians 2:13But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
- Genesis 33:4But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept.
- Genesis 45:14Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder.
- Genesis 46:29Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time.
Commentaries on Luke 15:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And kissed him - Or, kissed him again and again; the proper import of . The father thus showed his great tenderness towards him, and his great affection for him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He arose, and came - Was coming. But here is no indication of “haste.” He did not “run,” but came driven by his wants, and, as we may suppose, filled with shame, and even with some doubts whether his father would receive him. A great way off - This is a beautiful description - the image of his father‘s happening to see him clad in rags, poor, and emaciated, and yet he recognized “his son,” and all the feelings of a father prompted him to go and embrace…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 Having viewed the prodigal in his abject state of misery, we are next to consider his recovery from it. This begins by his coming to himself. That is a turning point in the sinner's conversion. The Lord opens his eyes, and convinces him of sin; then he views himself and every object, in a different light from what he did before. Thus the convinced sinner perceives that the meanest servant of God is happier than he is. To look unto God as a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20his father saw him: The father was watching the road, hoping his son would return. He ran to his son: Since running was not appropriate for the leader of the family, this expressed how happy the father was that his son came back.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. a great way off--Oh yes, when but the face is turned homeward, though as yet far, far away, our Father recognizes His own child in us, and bounds to meet us--not saying, Let him come to Me and sue for pardon first, but Himself taking the first step. fell on his neck and kissed him--What! In all his filth? Yes. In all his rags? Yes. In all his haggard, shattered wretchedness? Yes. "Our Father who art in heaven," is this Thy portraiture? It is even so…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 15:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries