English Standard Version
Luke 15:20
20And 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
Context of Luke 15:20
18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 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. 21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes 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 return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Job 33:27He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.
- Psalms 86:5For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
- Psalms 103:10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
- Isaiah 49:15"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
- Isaiah 55:6"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon 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 31:20Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.
- Ezekiel 16:6"And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' I said to you in your blood, 'Live!'
- Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
- Acts 2:39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
- Ephesians 2:13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
- Genesis 33:4But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
- Genesis 45:14Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
- Genesis 46:29Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
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
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Commentaries