Discovery BoxLuke 15:15-19 
Context15:15 So he went and worked for 1 one of the citizens of that country, who 2 sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 3 15:16 He 4 was longing to eat 5 the carob pods 6 the pigs were eating, but 7 no one gave him anything. 15:17 But when he came to his senses 8 he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food 9 enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned 10 against heaven 11 and against 12 you. 15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me 13 like one of your hired workers.”’
1 tn Grk “joined himself to” (in this case an idiom for beginning to work for someone).
2 tn Grk “and he.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) and the personal pronoun have been translated by a relative pronoun to improve the English style.
3 sn To a Jew, being sent to the field to feed pigs would be an insult, since pigs were considered unclean animals (Lev 11:7).
4 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
5 tn Or “would gladly have eaten”; Grk “was longing to be filled with.”
6 tn This term refers to the edible pods from a carob tree (BDAG 540 s.v. κεράτιον). They were bean-like in nature and were commonly used for fattening pigs, although they were also used for food by poor people (L&N 3.46).
7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
8 tn Grk “came to himself” (an idiom).
9 tn Grk “bread,” but used figuratively for food of any kind (L&N 5.1).
10 sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”
11 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.
12 tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”
13 tn Or “make me.” Here is a sign of total humility.
