Luke 15:29

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Luke 15:29

27The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’ 28But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.

Luke 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 too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”
• Luke 18:9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.
• 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him, “May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said.”
• Isaiah 58:2They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
• Isaiah 65:5They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
• Zechariah 7:3by asking both the priests of the temple of the Lord who rules over all and the prophets, “Should we weep in the fifth month, fasting as we have done over the years?”
• Matthew 20:12saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’
• Romans 3:20For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
• Romans 7:9And I was once alive apart from the law, but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive
• Romans 10:3For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
• Philippians 3:4– though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more:
• 1 John 1:8If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
• Revelation 3:17Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
• Luke 15:7I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
• Luke 19:21For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’
• Malachi 1:12“But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable.

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

• Inheritance
• Jealousy
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joy
• Penitent
• Prodigal Son
• Readings, Select
• Salvation
• Self-Righteousness
• 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