God’s Word Translation
Luke 15:20
20“So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around 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.
- 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 go at once to my father, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. 19I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men.” ’ “So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him. 21Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’ 22“The father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! 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 30:2If you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, doing everything I command you today,
- Job 33:27Each one sings in front of other people and says, ‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.
- Psalms 86:5You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.
- Psalms 103:10He has not treated us as we deserve for our sins or paid us back for our wrongs.
- Isaiah 49:15Can a woman forget her nursing child? Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb? Although mothers may forget, I will not forget you.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
- Isaiah 57:18I’ve seen their ⌞sinful⌟ ways, but I’ll heal them. I’ll guide them and give them rest. I’ll comfort them and their mourners.
- Jeremiah 31:20Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? Even though I have often spoken against him, I still think fondly of him. That is why my heart longs for him, and I will certainly have compassion on him,” declares the Lord.
- Ezekiel 16:6“ ‘Then I went by you and saw you kicking around in your own blood. I said to you, “Live.”
- Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboim? I have changed my mind. I am deeply moved.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.
- Acts 2:39This promise belongs to you and to your children and to everyone who is far away. It belongs to everyone who worships the Lord our God.”
- Ephesians 2:13But now through Christ Jesus you, who were once far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
- Genesis 33:4Then Esau ran to meet Jacob. Esau hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. They both cried.
- Genesis 45:14He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried with Benjamin, who was crying on his shoulder.
- Genesis 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel. As soon as he saw his father, he threw his arms around him and cried on his shoulder 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
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