New King James Version
Luke 15:29
29So 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
Context of Luke 15:29
27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 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. 30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
Read all of Luke 15Luke 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 likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”
- Luke 18:9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
- 1 Samuel 15:13Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.
- Isaiah 65:5Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
- Zechariah 7:3and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”
- Matthew 20:12saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
- Romans 3:20Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- Romans 7:9I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
- Romans 10:3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
- Philippians 3:4though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
- 1 John 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Revelation 3:17Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
- Luke 15:7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
- Luke 19:21For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
- Malachi 1:12“But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries