Luke 15:4

Luke 15:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
• New International Version (NIV)“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
• English Standard Version (ESV)"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
• New King James Version (NKJV)“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

Context of Luke 15:4

2But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3Jesus spoke to them using this illustration: “Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it? 5When he finds it, he’s happy. He puts that sheep on his shoulders and 6goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep!’

Luke 15:4 word by word

τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• youσύsu · youG4771
• havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• an hundredἑκατόνhekaton · hundredG1540
• sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• ifκαίkai · andG2532
• he loseἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• dothκαταλείπωkataleipō · to leave behindG2641
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the ninety and nineἐνενήκονταennenēkontaennea · ninetyG1768
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• goπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• afterἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• he findεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147

Cross-references for Luke 15:4

• Luke 13:15The Lord said, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of rest—a holy day? Don’t you then take it out of its stall to give it some water to drink?
• Matthew 12:11Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a sheep. If it falls into a pit on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you take hold of it and lift it out?
• Matthew 18:12“What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed?
• Romans 2:1No matter who you are, if you judge anyone, you have no excuse. When you judge another person, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.
• Psalms 119:176I have wandered away like a lost lamb. Search for me, because I have never forgotten your commandments.
• Isaiah 53:6We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the Lord has laid all our sins on him.
• Jeremiah 50:6My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray. They wander around on the mountains. They go from mountains to hills. They have forgotten their resting place.
• Ezekiel 34:8As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for every wild animal. My shepherds haven’t searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.
• John 10:15So I give my life for my sheep.
• 1 Peter 2:25You were like lost sheep. Now you have come back to the shepherd and bishop of your lives.

Commentaries on Luke 15:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4What man of you - Our Lord spoke this and the following parable to justify his conduct in receiving and conversing with sinners or heathens. A hundred sheep - Parables similar to this are frequent among the Jewish writers. The whole flock of mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, belongs unto this Divine Shepherd; and it is but reasonable to expect, that the gracious proprietor will look after those who have gone astray, and bring them back to the flock. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 See the notes at Matthew 18:12-13.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4A flock of a hundred sheep was of average size for a shepherd of modest means. God’s people are often identified as the Lord’s flock (Psalm 23; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 13:17; Ezekiel 34; Zechariah 10:3). leave the ninety-nine: Other shepherds could watch the ninety-nine, so those left behind were not in danger. The shepherd would do anything to find the one that was lost.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-73-7. Occurring again (Mt 18:12-14); but there to show how precious one of His sheep is to the Good Shepherd; here, to show that the shepherd, though the sheep stray never so widely, will seek it out, and when he hath found, will rejoice over it.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 15:4

• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lost Sheep
• Penitent
• Pharisees
• Repentance
• Salvation
• Sheep

In the dictionaries

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

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