Luke 15:20

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 will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. 21Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet!

Luke 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 30:2Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today,
• Job 33:27That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
• Psalms 86:5Certainly O Lord, you are kind and forgiving, and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
• Psalms 103:10He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
• Isaiah 49:15Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!
• Isaiah 57:18I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn.
• Jeremiah 31:20Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the Lord, affirm it!
• Ezekiel 16:6“‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!”
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused!
• Micah 7:18There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love.
• Acts 2:39For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
• Ephesians 2:13But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
• Genesis 33:4But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept.
• Genesis 45:14Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.
• Genesis 46:29Joseph harnessed his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. When he met him, he hugged his neck and wept on his neck for quite some 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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joy
• Kiss
• Penitent
• Prodigal Son
• Readings, Select
• Repentance
• Salvation
• Sin
• Young Men

In the dictionaries

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

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