Luke 15:4-7

15:4 “Which one ¹  of you, if he has a hundred ²  sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture ³  and go look for ⁴  the one that is lost until he finds it? ⁵  15:5 Then ⁶  when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 15:6 Returning ⁷  home, he calls together ⁸  his ⁹  friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 15:7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner ¹⁰  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ¹¹  who have no need to repent. ¹² 

Luke 15:32

15:32 It was appropriate ¹³  to celebrate and be glad, for your brother ¹⁴  was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’” ¹⁵ 

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¹ tn Grk “What man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.

² sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.

³ tn Or “desert,” but here such a translation might suggest neglect of the 99 sheep left behind.

⁴ tn Grk “go after,” but in contemporary English the idiom “to look for” is used to express this.

⁵ sn Until he finds it. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

⁷ tn Grk “And coming into his…” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁸ sn A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9-10).

⁹ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215). It occurs before “neighbors” as well (“his friends and his neighbors”) but has not been translated the second time because of English style.

¹⁰ sn There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The pursuit of the sinner is a priority in spite of the presence of others who are doing well (see also Luke 5:32; 19:10). The theme of repentance, a major Lukan theme, is again emphasized.

¹¹ tn Here δικαίοις (dikaioi") is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”

¹² tn Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”

¹³ tn Or “necessary.”

¹⁴ sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.

¹⁵ sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.