Luke 15:11-13

The Parable of the Compassionate Father

15:11 Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons. 15:12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 15:13 After 10  a few days, 11  the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered 12  his wealth 13  with a wild lifestyle.


tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

tn L&N 57.19 notes that in nonbiblical contexts in which the word οὐσία (ousia) occurs, it refers to considerable possessions or wealth, thus “estate.”

tn L&N 57.3, “to belong to or come to belong to, with the possible implication of by right or by inheritance.”

tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the father’s response to the younger son’s request.

tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

sn He divided his assets between them. There was advice against doing this in the OT Apocrypha (Sir 33:20). The younger son would get half of what the older son received (Deut 21:17).

10 tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

11 tn Grk “after not many days.”

12 tn Or “wasted.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).

13 tn Or “estate” (the same word has been translated “estate” in v. 12).