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 go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for 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 30:2If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today,
• Job 33:27He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it.
• Psalms 86:5O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
• Psalms 103:10He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
• Isaiah 49:15“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
• Isaiah 57:18I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn,
• Jeremiah 31:20“Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord. “I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.
• Ezekiel 16:6“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’
• Hosea 11:8“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.
• Micah 7:18Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.
• Acts 2:39This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
• Ephesians 2:13But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
• Genesis 33:4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
• Genesis 45:14Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same.
• Genesis 46:29Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long 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