English Standard Version
Luke 15:29
29but 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
Context of Luke 15:29
27And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 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. 30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
Read all of Luke 15Luke 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 17:10So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"
- Luke 18:9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
- 1 Samuel 15:13And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord."
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
- Isaiah 65:5who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.
- Zechariah 7:3saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"
- Matthew 20:12saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'
- Romans 3:20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
- Romans 7:9I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
- Romans 10:3For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
- Philippians 3:4though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
- 1 John 1:8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Revelation 3:17For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
- Luke 15:7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
- Luke 19:21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
- Malachi 1:12But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.
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
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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