Luke 15:29

Luke 15:29 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he answering said to his father, 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:
• New International Version (NIV)But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

Context of Luke 15:29

27‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28“Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31“‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

Luke 15:29 word by word

Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον, καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφον ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• he answeringἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• toπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• Loὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• these manyτοσοῦτοςtosoutos · so greatG5118
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
• do I serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• neitherκαίkai · andG2532
• transgressed Iπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
• at any timeοὐδέποτεoudepote · neverG3763
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• yet thouδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• a kidἔριφοςeriphos · a goatG2056
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I might make merryεὐφραίνωeuphrainō · to celebrateG2165
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• friendsφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384

Cross-references for Luke 15:29

• Luke 17:10In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”
• Luke 18:9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:
• 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
• Isaiah 58:2They seek me day after day and delight to know my ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not abandon the justice of their God. They ask me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.”
• Isaiah 65:5They say, ‘Keep to yourself, don’t come near me, for I am too holy for you!’ These practices are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
• Zechariah 7:3by asking the priests who were at the house of the Lord of Armies as well as the prophets, “Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done these many years?”
• Matthew 20:12‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day’s work and the burning heat.’
• Romans 3:20For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
• Romans 7:9Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again
• Romans 10:3Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.
• Philippians 3:4although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
• 1 John 1:8If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
• Revelation 3:17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
• Luke 15:7I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
• Luke 19:21because I was afraid of you since you’re a harsh man: you collect what you didn’t deposit and reap what you didn’t sow.’
• Malachi 1:12“But you are profaning it when you say, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible.’

Commentaries on Luke 15:29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Never - a kid - It is evident from Luke 15:12, that the father gave him his portion when his profligate brother claimed his; for he divided his whole substance between them. And though he had not claimed it, so as to separate from, and live independently of, his father, yet he might have done so whenever he chose; and therefore his complaining was both undutiful and unjust.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29A kid - A young goat. This was of less value than the calf; and he complains that while his father had never given “him” a thing of so little value as “a kid,” he had now given his other son the “fatted calf.” Make merry with - Entertain them give them a feast. This complaint was unreasonable, for his father had divided his property, and he “might” have had his portion, and his father had uniformly treated him with kindness. But it serves to illustrate…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-32Verses 25-32 In the latter part of this parable we have the character of the Pharisees, though not of them alone. It sets forth the kindness of the Lord, and the proud manner in which his gracious kindness is often received. The Jews, in general, showed the same spirit towards the converted Gentiles; and numbers in every age object to the gospel and its preachers, on the same ground. What must that temper be, which stirs up a man to despise and abhor…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-32Like the previous two parables (15:3–7, 8–10), the parable of the lost son demonstrates God’s love for the lost and the joy God experiences when they return. It also reflects the ministry of Jesus. The father represents God, the younger son represents the tax collectors and sinners Jesus welcomed, and the older son represents the religious leaders.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. these many years ... neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment--The words are not to be pressed too far. He is merely contrasting his constancy of love and service with the conduct of his brother; just as Job, resenting the charge of hypocrisy by his friends, speaks as if nothing could be laid to his charge (Job 23:10-12), and David too (Psa 18:20-24). The father attests the truth of all he says. never ... a kid--I say not a calf, but not…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 15:29

• Inheritance
• Jealousy
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joy
• Penitent
• Prodigal Son
• Readings, Select
• Salvation
• Self-Righteousness
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

• Alive
• Compassion
• Devour
• Divide
• Fain
• Heaven
• Living
• Meet
• Mighty
• Seek

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