God’s Word Translation
Luke 15:14
14He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on.
Luke 15:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
- New International Version (NIV)After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Context of Luke 15:14
12The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons. 13“After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on. 15So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields. 16No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating.
Read all of Luke 15Luke 15:14 word by word
δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- when heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- had spentδαπανάωdapanaō · to spendG1159
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- there aroseγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- a mightyἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- famineλιμόςlimos · hungerG3042
- inκατάkata · according toG2596
- thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- landὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- landχώραchōra · countryG5561
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- to be in wantὑστερέωhustereō · to lackG5302
Cross-references for Luke 15:14
- 2 Chronicles 33:11So the Lord made the army commanders of the king of Assyria invade Judah. They took Manasseh captive, put a hook in his nose, put him in bronze shackles, and brought him to Babylon.
- Ezekiel 16:27“ ‘So I used my power against you. I took away some of your land, and I handed you over to your greedy enemies, the Philistines, who were ashamed of what you had done.
- Hosea 2:9That is why I will take back my grain when it has ripened and my new wine when it’s in season. I will take away the wool and the linen that I gave her to cover her naked body.
- Amos 8:9On that day, declares the Almighty Lord, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
Commentaries on Luke 15:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14A mighty famine in that land - As he was of a profligate turn of mind himself, it is likely he sought out a place where riot and excess were the ruling characteristics of the inhabitants; and, as poverty is the sure consequence of prodigality, it is no wonder that famine preyed on the whole country.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14A mighty famine - Famines were common in Eastern nations. They were caused by the failure of the crops - by a want of timely rains, a genial sun, or sometimes by the prevalence of the plague or of the pestilence, which swept off numbers of the inhabitants. In this case it is very naturally connected with the luxury, the indolence, and the dissipation of the people in that land,Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly…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. 1414. when he had spent all ... a mighty famine--a mysterious providence holding back the famine till he was in circumstances to feel it in all its rigor. Thus, like Jonah, whom the storm did not overtake till on the mighty deep at the mercy of the waves, does the sinner feel as if "the stars in their courses were fighting against" him (Jud 5:20). in want--the first stage of his bitter experience, and preparation for a change.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 15:14
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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