New King James Version
Luke 15:7
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 15:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
- New International Version (NIV)I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Context of Luke 15:7
5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I 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. 8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
Read all of Luke 15Luke 15:7 word by word
Λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- likewiseοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- joyχαράchara · joyG5479
- shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
- that repentethμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
- more thanἤē · orG2228
- ninety and nineἐνενήκονταennenēkontaennea · ninetyG1768
- just personsδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- ·ἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- noοὐou · noG3756
- repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
Cross-references for Luke 15:7
- Luke 15:32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
- Luke 5:32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
- Matthew 18:13And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
- Luke 15:29So 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 16:15And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Luke 18:9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
- Proverbs 30:12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
- Romans 7:9I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
- Philippians 3:6concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Commentaries on Luke 15:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Just persons, which need no repentance - Who do not require such a change of mind and purpose as these do - who are not so profligate, and cannot repent of sins they have never committed. Distinctions of this kind frequently occur in the Jewish writings. There are many persons who have been brought up in a sober and regular course of life, attending the ordinances of God, and being true and just in all their dealings; these most materially differ from the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Likewise joy - It is a principle of human nature that the “recovery” of an object in danger of being lost, affords much more intense joy than the quiet “possession” of many that are safe. This our Saviour illustrated by the case of the lost sheep and of the piece of silver. It might also be illustrated by many other things. Thus we rejoice most in our health when we recover from a dangerous disease; we rejoice over a child rescued from danger or disease…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-32Chapter 15 contains three related parables of things lost and found: a sheep (15:1–7), a coin (15:8–10), and a son (15:11–32). The loss of something loved causes deep sorrow, whereas finding it brings great joy. There is great rejoicing in heaven when lost sinners return to their heavenly Father.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 15:7
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