Luke 15:11

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Luke 15:11 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.

King James Version KJV

¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons:

American Standard Version ASV

And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Bible in Basic English BBE

And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Free Bible Version FBV

Once there was a man who had two sons,” Jesus explained.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

He sayde moreouer, A certaine man had two sonnes.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

And he said, 'A certain man had two sons,

World English Bible WEB

He said, “A certain man had two sons.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And he said: A certain man had two sons:

Translation for Translators T4T

Then Jesus told them this parable to compare what the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law thought about those who turn from their sinful behavior with what God thinks about such people. He said, “A certain man had two sons.

Plain English Version PEV

Then Jesus told the people another picture story. He said, “There was a man that had 2 sons.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Luke 15:11

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Word Study

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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Luke 15:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

GRK ειπεν δε ανθρωπος τις ειχεν δυο υιους

ειπεν legō G3004 to say Verb-2AAI-3S

δε de G1161 then Conj

ανθρωπος anthrōpos G444 a human Noun-NSM

τις tis G5100 one Indef-NSM

ειχεν echō G2192 to have/be Verb-IAI-3S

δυο duo G1417 two Adj-NUI

υιους uhios G5207 son Noun-APM

Greek Word Study

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Greek Word Reference — Luke 15:11

ειπεν legō G3004 "to say" Verb-2AAI-3S

This word means to say or speak, and it is used by Jesus and others in the New Testament to share teachings and tell stories. It appears in Matthew 9:34 and John 1:29.

Definition: λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] __1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. __2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of writing, 2Co.8:8, Php.4:11, al.; λέγει ἡ γραφή, Rom.4:3, Jas.2:23, al.; with accusative of thing(s), Luk.8:8, 9:33, Jhn.5:34, al.; σὺ λέγεις (a non-committal phrase; Swete, Mk., 359, 369f.), Mat.27:11, Mrk.15:2, Luk.23:3, Jhn.18:37; with dative of person(s), before orat. dir., Mat.8:20, Mrk.2:17, al. mult.; id. before ὅτι, Mat.3:9, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, etc., Mrk.4:41, Jhn.11:56, Heb.9:5, al.; to mean (cl.), Mrk.14:71, Jhn.6:71, 1Co.10:29, al.; to call, name, Mrk.10:18; pass., Mat.9:9, Mrk.15:7, al (cf. ἀντι-, δια- (-μαι), προ-, συλ-λέγω). SYN.: λαλέω, which refers to the utterance, as λέγω to the meaning of what is said, its correspondence with thought (Tr., Syn., Ixxvi; Thayer, see word λαλέω). (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 1988 NT verses. KJV: ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter See also: 1 Corinthians 1:10; Acts 6:2; Acts 19:3.

δε de G1161 "then" Conj

This is a conjunction that means and, but, or then, used to connect ideas like in Matthew 1:2 and 2 Corinthians 6:15.

Definition: δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; __1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; καὶ ἐὰν δέ, yea even if, Jhn.8:16. __2. Adversative, but, on the other hand, prop., answering to a foregoing μέν (which see), and distinguishing a word or clause from one preceding (in NT most frequently without μέν; Bl., §77, 12): ἐὰν δέ, Mat.6:14, 23, al.; ἐγὼ (σὺ, etc.) δέ, Mat.5:22, 6:6, Mrk.8:29, al.; ὁ δέ, αὐτὸς δέ, Mrk.1:45, Luk.4:40, al.; after a negation, Mat.6:19, 20, Rom.3:4, 1Th.5:21, al. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 2552 NT verses. KJV: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English) See also: 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Peter 1:7.

ανθρωπος anthrōpos G444 "a human" Noun-NSM

This word means a human being, and is used in the Bible to describe people, like in John 16:21 and Romans 7:1.

Definition: ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: __1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ ἔσω (ἔξω) ἄ., Rom.7:22, Eph.3:16, 2Co.4:16 (cf. 1Pe.3:4); ὁ παλαιὸς, καινὸς, νέος ἄ., Rom.6:6, Eph.2:15 4:22, 24 Col.3:9, 10; joined with another subst., ἄ. ἔμπορος, a merchant, Mat.13:45 (WH, txt. om. ἄ.); οἰκοδεσπότης, Mat.13:52; βασιλεύς, 18:23; φάγος, 11:19; with name of nation, Κυρηναῖος, Mat.27:32; Ἰουδαῖος, Act.21:39; Ῥωμαῖος, Act.16:37; pl. οἱ ἄ., men, people: Mat.5:13, 16 Mrk.8:24, Jhn.4:28; οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων, Mrk.11:2, 1Ti.6:16. __2. Indef., ἄ. = τις, some one, a man: Mat.17:14, Mrk.12:1, al.; τις ἄ., Mat.18:12, Jhn.5:5, al.; indef. one (Fr. on), Rom.3:28, Gal.2:16, al.; opposite to women, servants, etc., Mat.10:36 19:10, Jhn.7:22, 23. __3. Definitely, with art., of some particular person; Mat.12:13, Mrk.3:5, al.; οὗτος ὁ ἄ., Luk.14:30; ὁ ἄ οὗτος, ἐκεῖνος, Mrk.14:71, Mat.12:45; ὁ ἄ. τ. ἀνομίας, 2Th.2:3; ἄ τ. θεοῦ (of Heb. אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים), 1Ti.6:11, 2Ti.3:17, 2Pe.1:21; ὁ υἰὸς τοῦ ἀ., see: υἱός. SYN.: ἀνήρ, which see (and cf. MM, VGT, 44; Cremer, 103, 635). (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 503 NT verses. KJV: certain, man See also: 1 Corinthians 1:25; Acts 22:25; 1 Peter 1:24.

τις tis G5100 "one" Indef-NSM

This pronoun refers to a person or thing in a general sense, as seen in Luke 9:49 and John 11:1. It can mean someone, anyone, or anything. This term is often used to describe an unspecified individual or object.

Definition: τις, neut., τι, genitive, τινός, enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε. __I. As subst., __1. one, a certain one: Luk.9:49, Jhn.11:1, Act.5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Luk.13:1, Act.15:1, Rom.3:8, al. __2. someone, anyone, something, anything: Mat.12:29, Mrk.9:30, Luk.8:46, Jhn.2:25, Act.17:25, Rom.5:7, al.; = indef., one (French on), Mrk.8:4, Jhn.2:25, Rom.8:24, al.; pl., τινες, some, Mrk.14:4, al. __II. II. As adj., __1. a certain: Mat.18:12, Luk.1:5 8:27, Act.3:2, al.; with proper names, Mrk.15:21, Luk.23:26, al.; with genitive partit., Luk.7:19, al. __2. some: Mrk.16:[8], Jhn.5:14, Act.17:21 24:24, Heb.11:40, al. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 490 NT verses. KJV: a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever) See also: 1 Corinthians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 12:17; 1 Peter 2:19.

ειχεν echō G2192 "to have/be" Verb-IAI-3S

This Greek word means to have or hold something, like a possession or ability. It is used in many ways, such as having power or being with someone. The Bible uses it in Revelation 5:8 and 14:6.

Definition: ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. __I. Trans.; __1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; __(a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; __(b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; __(with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; __(d) to hold fast, keep: Luk.19:20; metaphorically, of the mind and conduct, Mrk.16:8 (cf. Job.21:6, Isa.13:8; Deiss., BS, 293; Field, Notes, 44f.), Jhn.14:21, Rom.1:28, 1Ti.3:9, 2Ti.1:13, Rev.6:9, al.; __(e) to involve: Heb.10:35 (LXX), Jas.1:4, 1Jn.4:18; (f) = Lat. habere (Bl., §34, 5; 73, 5), to hold, consider: with accusative and predic. ptcp., Luk.14:18; with accusative, before ὡς, Mat.14:5; εἰς (Hebraism), Mat.21:46; on (Bl., §70, 2), Mrk.11:32. __2. to have, possess; __(a) in general, with accusative of thing(s): Mat.19:22, Mrk.10:22, Luk.12:19, Jhn.10:16, 1Co.11:22, al.; of wealth or poverty, absol., ἔχειν (neg. οὐκ, μή), Mat.13:12 25:29, 2Co.8:12; ἐκ τ. ἔχειν, according to your means, 2Co.8:11; __(b) of relationship, association, and: πατέρα, Jhn.8:41; γυναῖκα (MM, xiv), 1Co.7:2; φίλον, Luk.11:5; βασιλέα, Jhn.19:15; ποιμένα, Mat.9:36; with dupl. accusative, Mat.3:9, al.; __(with) of parts or members: ὦτα, Mat.19:15; μέλη, Rom.12:4; θεμελίους, __(d) with accusative, as periphrasis of verb: μνεῖαν ἔ. (= μεμνῆσθαι), 1Th.3:6; ἀγάπην, Jhn.13:35; γνῶσιν, 1Co.8:1; πεποίθησιν, 2Co.3:4; θλίψιν, Jhn.16:33, etc. (Thayer, see word, I, 2, f., g.); __(e) of duty, necessity, etc.: ἀνάγκην, 1Co.7:37; νόμον, Jhn.19:7; ἐπιταγήν, 1Co.7:25; ἀγῶνα, Php.1:30; κρίμα, 1Ti.5:12; __(f) of complaints and disputes; κατά, with genitive of person(s), Mat.5:23, Mrk.11:25; id. before ὅτι, Rev.2:4, 20; with accusative before πρός, Act.24:19, al.; __(g) with inf., __(α) (cl.) to be able (Field, Notes, 14): Mat.18:25, Mrk.14:8 (sc. ποιῆσαι), Luk.12:4, Act.4:14, al; __(β) of necessity (BL, §69, 4): Luk.12:50, Act.23:17-19 28:19. __II. Intrans. (BL, §53, 1), to be in a certain condition: ἑτοίμως ἔ., with inf., Act.21:13, 2Co.12:14; ἐσχάτως (which see), Mrk.5:23; κακῶς, to be ill, Mat.4:24, al.; καλῶς, Mk 16:[18]; κομψότερον, Jhn.4:52; πῶς, Act.15:36; impers., ἄλλως εἴχει, it is otherwise, 1Ti.5:25; οὕτως, Act.7:1, al.; τὸ νῦν ἔχον, as things now are (Tob.7:11), Act.24:25. __III. Mid., -ομαι, to hold oneself fast, hold on or cling to, be next to: with genitive, τ. ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, Heb.6:9 (Rendall, in l.); ptcp., ὁ ἐχόμενος, near, next: of place, Mrk.1:38; of time, τ. ἐχομένη (ἡμέρα, expressed or understood), Luk.13:33, Act.20:15 21:26; (σαββάτῳ), Act.13:44. (Cf. ἀν-, προσ-αν-, ἀντ-, ἀπ-, ἐν-, ἐπ-, κατ-, μετ-, παρ-, περι-, προ-, προσ-, συν-, ὑπερ-, ὑπ-έχω.) (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 628 NT verses. KJV: be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use See also: 1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Peter 2:12.

δυο duo G1417 "two" Adj-NUI

Means two in number, used in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:8 to describe a married couple, and in Luke 10:1 to describe sending disciples out two by two.

Definition: δύο, numeral, indecl. exc. in dative, δυσί, δυσίν (Attic δυοῖν), two: Mat.19:6, Mrk.10:8, Jhn.2:6, al.; with pl. noun, Mat.9:27 10:10, al.; οἱ, τῶν, τοὺς δ., Mat.19:5 20:24, Mrk.10:8, Eph.2:15, al.; δ. ἐξ, Luk.24:13; distrib., ἀνὰ, κατὰ δ., two and two, two apiece: Luk.10:1 (WH, ἀνὰ δ. [δύο]), Jhn.2:6, 1Co.14:27; δύο δύο (= ἀνὰ δ., as LXX, Gen.6:19 for שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, but not merely "Hebraism," cf. μυρία μυρία, Æsch., Pers., 981, and for usage in π. and MGr., see M, Pr., 21, 97), Mrk.6:7; εἰς δ. (two and two, Xen., Cyr., 7, 5, 17), into two parts, Mat.27:51, Mrk.15:38. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 121 NT verses. KJV: both, twain, two See also: 1 Corinthians 6:16; Mark 6:7; Hebrews 6:18.

υιους uhios G5207 "son" Noun-APM

In the Bible, this word means a son or child, used in passages like Matthew 10:37 and Luke 1:13. It can also refer to animals, as in a foal. The word is used to describe family relationships and is an important concept in biblical genealogy.

Definition: υἱός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX very frequently and nearly always for בֵּן, Gen.4:17, al.; for בַּר, Dan LXX TH 7:13, al.; etc. ;], a son; __1. in the ordinary sense: Mat.10:37, Mrk.9:17, Luk.1:13, al. mult.; omitted with the art. of origin (WM, §30, 3; Bl., §35, 2), τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, Act.13:22 (LXX); also with genitive anarth. (cl.), Σώπατρος Πύρρου Βεροιαῖος, Act.20:4; with adj., προτότοκος, Luk.2:7; μονογένης, Luk.7:12; opposite to νόθος, Heb.12:8; in a wider sense, of posterity: ὁ υἱ. Δαυΐδ, of the Messiah (cf. Dalman, Words, 316ff.; DCG, ii, 653f.), Mat.22:42, 45 Mrk.12:35, 37 Luk.20:41, 44 al.; υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ, (cf. υἷες Ἀχαιῶν, Hom., Il., i, 162, al.), Mat.27:9, Act.9:15, al. __2. Metaphorical; __(a) as belonging to, being connected with or having the quality of that which follows (a usage mainly due to translation from a Semitic original; cf. Deiss., BS, 161ff.; Dalman, Words, 115f.; DCG, ii, 652f.): τ. πονεροῦ (διαβόλου), Mat.13:38, Act.13:10; τ. νυμφῶνος (see: νυμφών), Mat.9:15, Mrk.2:19, al.; τ. φωτός (Lft., Notes, 74), Luk.16:8, Jhn.12:36, 1Th.5:5; τ. εἰρεήμης, Luk.10:6; γεέννης, Mat.23:15; τ. ἀπωλείας, Jhn.17:12, 2Th.2:3; τ. αἰῶνος τούτου, Luk.16:8 20:34; τ. ἀπειθειάς, Eph.2:2 5:6; βροντῆς, Mrk.3:17; τ. ἀναστάσεως, Luk.20:36; παρακλήσεως, Act.4:36; τ. προφητῶν κ. τ. διαθήκης, Act.3:25; __(b) υἱὸς τ. θεοῦ (cf. Dalman, Words, 268ff.; Deiss., BS, 166f.; DB, iv, 570 ff.; DCG, ii, 654ff.), of men, as partakers of the Divine nature and of the life to come: Mat.5:9, Luk.20:36, Rom.8:14 9:26, al.; υἱοὶ (κ. θυγατέρες) τ. ὑψίστου, Luk.6:35, 2Co.6:18; in an unique sense of Jesus, Mat.4:3 8:29 28:19, Mrk.3:4, Luk.4:41, Jhn.9:35 11:27, al.; ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱ. τ. θεοῦ ζῶντος (τ. εὐλογητοῦ), Mat.16:16, Mrk.14:61; __(with) (ὁ) υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (in LXX for Heb. בּן אדם, Aram, בּר אנשׁ; cf. Dalman, Words, 234ff.; DB, iv, 579ff.; DCG, ii, 659ff.; Westc., St. John, i, 74ff.; other reff. in Swete, Mk, 2:10), based on the Aram. of Dan.7:13, where the phrase, like the corresponding Heb. (as in Psa.8:5), means a man, one of the species, and indicates the human appearance of the person in question. It is used of the Messiah in Enoch, with 46, §1-4, also in II Est.13:3, 12, al. Our Lord first makes the phrase a title, using the def. art. It seems to combine the ideas of his true humanity and representative character. Exc. in Act.7:56 and (anarth.) Rev.1:13 14:14, it is used of Jesus only by himself: Mat.8:20, Mrk.2:10, Luk.5:24, Jhn.1:52, al. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 348 NT verses. KJV: child, foal, son See also: 1 Corinthians 1:9; John 3:35; 1 Peter 5:13.

Study Notes — Luke 15:11

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Luke 15:11 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Luke 15:11
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 15:11
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Luke 15:11
Trapp's Commentary on Luke 15:11
Ellicott's Commentary on Luke 15:11
Cambridge Bible on Luke 15:11
Barnes' Notes on Luke 15:11
Whedon's Commentary on Luke 15:11
Sermons on Luke 15:11

Context — The Parable of the Prodigal Son

9And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.

12The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Matthew 21:23–31	When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?” “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first, ” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

Luke 15:11 Summary

This verse is the beginning of a story that Jesus tells about a man with two sons, which is meant to illustrate God's love and mercy towards sinners. The story is a reminder that God loves us like a father loves his children, and He wants us to come to Him with humility and repentance, as seen in 1 John 1:9. Just like the father in the story, God is always waiting for us to come back to Him, with open arms, as seen in Luke 15:20. This parable is a powerful reminder of God's love and forgiveness, and it can help us to understand the importance of repentance and restoration in our relationship with Him, as seen in Psalm 103:8-12.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main point of the parable that Jesus is about to tell in Luke 15:11?

The main point of the parable is to illustrate God's love and mercy towards sinners, as seen in the father's love for his two sons, which is a reflection of God's love for humanity, as stated in John 3:16.

Why did Jesus use a story about a man with two sons to convey His message?

Jesus used this story to convey His message because it was a relatable scenario for His audience, and it allowed Him to teach about God's love, forgiveness, and redemption, as seen in other parables such as the Prodigal Son's counterpart in Matthew 21:28-32.

How does this verse relate to the previous verses in Luke 15:9-10?

This verse is a continuation of Jesus' teaching on the joy of repentance, as seen in Luke 15:9-10, where He talks about the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, and now He is about to illustrate this concept through a parable, similar to the one in Matthew 18:12-14.

What can we learn from the fact that the man in the parable has two sons?

The fact that the man has two sons may symbolize the two different responses to God's love and mercy, as seen in the contrast between the prodigal son and his older brother, which is reminiscent of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-32, highlighting the importance of humility and repentance, as stated in 1 John 1:9.

Reflection Questions

What does this verse reveal about God's heart towards His children, and how can I apply this to my own relationship with Him?
How does the introduction of the two sons make me think about my own relationships with family members or friends, and what can I learn from this parable about love and forgiveness?
What are some ways that I can be like the father in this parable, showing love and mercy to those around me, as seen in Ephesians 5:1-2?
How does this verse make me think about the concept of repentance and restoration, and what role does God's love play in this process, as seen in Psalm 51:1-17?

Gill's Exposition on Luke 15:11

And he said,.... The Syriac and Persic versions read "and Jesus said again"; he added another parable to the two former, at the same time, of the same import, with the same view, and on the same

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 15:11

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Luke 15:11

Ver. 11-16. The scope of this excellent parable is apparently to magnify the grace of God, who is willing to receive and to treat kindly the greatest transgressors, seriously repenting, and turning unto God; but in it we are also, 1. Instructed in the original state of man, like that of a child in his father’ s house, happy and wanting nothing. 2. The most miserable estate of fallen men, such especially as run to great excess of riot. 3. The true way of a sinner’ s returning to God. 4. The readiness of our gracious Father to receive, and his wonderful kindness in the receiving and embracing, repenting and returning sinners. 5. The envy that is sometimes found in good souls to others receiving (as they think) more favour from God than they do. 6. The gentleness and meekness of God in dealing with us, notwithstanding our infirmities and misbecoming passions. God is again here represented under the notion of a man who had two sons: some that are his children by regeneration as well as creation; he having given them that believe a right to be called the sons of God, . Others that are his sons by creation only. The latter are here represented under the notion of a younger son. This younger son is represented as dissatisfied with living in his father’ s house, desiring his portion, &c. All men and women by nature were equally the sons of God, being all in Adam, who was so. All men swerved from him; in Adam all sinned, all died. But some again by grace are returned to their Father’ s house. Others challenge a relation to God, as his creatures, but are not of their Father’ s house, but desire only a portion of the good things of this life. Some desire honours, some riches, all of them life and health, &c. God, like a liberal father, gives some of these good things to one, others to another; to some more than one kind of them: whatever they have of this nature is from him who maketh his sun to shine and his rain to fall upon the just and unjust. Wicked men, when they are thus furnished by God, quickly take their journey into a far country, are more alienated and estranged from God by lewd and wicked practices than they were by nature; waste their substance, the health of their bodies, their time of life, their estates, their great and honourable capacities, by giving up themselves to lewd and riotous kinds of life, to the high dishonour of Almighty God. It pleaseth God by his providence sometimes to bring these men into straits; when they are so brought, they will take any base, sordid course to relieve themselves, rather than they will think of returning to their heavenly Father; of themselves they will rather choose to serve swine. But if they be such as belong to God’ s election of grace, the providence of God will not leave them.

Trapp's Commentary on Luke 15:11

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: Ver. 11. And he said] A third parable to the same purpose: and all to persuade us of God’ s readiness to receive returning sinners. This is not so easily believed, indeed, as most men imagine.

Ellicott's Commentary on Luke 15:11

(11) And he said, A certain man had two sons.—We enter here on one of the parables which are not only peculiar to St. Luke’s Gospel, but have something of a different character, as giving more than those we find in the other Gospels, the incidents of a story of common daily life. As with the Good Samaritan, it seems open to us to believe that it rested on a substratum of facts that had actually occurred. It is obvious that in the then social state of Palestine, brought into contact as the Jews were with the great cities of the Roman empire, such a history as that here recorded must have been but too painfully familiar. In the immediate application of the parable, the father is the great Father of the souls of men; the elder son represents the respectably religious Pharisees; the younger stands for the class of publicans and sinners. In its subsequent developments it applies to the two types of character which answers to these in any age or country. On a wider scale, but with a less close parallelism, the elder son may stand for Israel according to the flesh; the younger for the whole heathen world. Looking back to the genealogies of Gen 5:10; Genesis 9:18, and even (according to the true construction of the words) Genesis 10:21, they correspond respectively to the descendants of Shem and those of Japheth. It is obvious from the whole structure of the parable that the elder son cannot represent the unfallen part of God’s creation; and, so far as it goes, this tells against that interpretation of the ninety and nine sheep, or the nine pieces of silver.

Cambridge Bible on Luke 15:11

11-32. The Son lost and found.11. had tzuo sons] The primary applications of this divine parable,— which is peculiar to St Luke, and would alone have added inestimable value to his Gospel—are (1) to the Pharisees and the ‘sinners’—i.e. to the professedly religious, and the openly irreligious classes; and (2) to the Jews and Gentiles. This latter application however only lies indirectly in the parable, and it is doubtful whether it would have occurred consciously to those who heard it. This is the Evangelium in Evangelio. How much it soars above the conceptions of Christians, even after hundreds of years of Christianity, is shewn by the ‘elder- brotherly spirit’ which has so often been manifested (e.g. by Tertullian and all like him) in narrowing its interpretation.

Barnes' Notes on Luke 15:11

And he said - Jesus, to illustrate still farther the sentiment which he had uttered, and to show that it was proper to rejoice over repenting sinners, proceeds to show it by a most beautiful and instructive parable.

Whedon's Commentary on Luke 15:11

PARABLE THIRD. The Prodigal Son—The knowing and wandering sinner.11. And he said—This phrase may imply, by distinctly marking off the ensuing parable, that it was spoken at a different time from the two previous.

Sermons on Luke 15:11

	Sermon	Description
	(Alabama) the Prodigal by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher shares a heart-to-heart talk about the story of the Prodigal Son from the Bible. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing the uncond
	(Australia) a Cry Without a Voice by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher addresses the internal struggles and cries of a young person who is feeling overwhelmed and confused. The preacher emphasizes the importance of having
	Cost of Worship - Part 1 by Leonard Ravenhill	In this sermon, the speaker begins by describing how he was sitting on the front seat in the synagogue. He then repeatedly emphasizes the importance of reading the gospel of Luke.
	Repentance - Part 2 by Derek Prince	In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the parable of the prodigal son from Luke chapter 15. He highlights the contrast between the younger son, who repents and returns to his fat
	And Kissed Him by Tim Keller	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in overcoming past hurts and moving towards a better future. They describe forgiveness as turning off the pain
	(2008 Usa Tour) Father of the Prodigal by Keith Daniel	In this sermon, the preacher Eugene and Dave, who are wealthy businessmen in Cape Town, are praised for their love for God and their dedication to giving their finances to Jesus. T
	(Poland) Jesus Loves Sinners by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher shares powerful testimonies of individuals who were living on the streets and trapped in addiction. Through the love of Jesus Christ, they experienced