Luke 15:23
New International Version
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

New Living Translation
And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

English Standard Version
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.

Berean Standard Bible
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.

Berean Literal Bible
and having brought the fattened calf, kill it, and having eaten, let us be merry.

King James Bible
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

New King James Version
And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

New American Standard Bible
and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate;

NASB 1995
and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

NASB 1977
and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

Legacy Standard Bible
and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate,

Amplified Bible
And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate;

Christian Standard Bible
Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,

American Standard Version
and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:

Contemporary English Version
Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate.

English Revised Version
and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let's celebrate with a feast.

Good News Translation
Then go and get the prize calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast!

International Standard Version
Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let's eat and celebrate!

Majority Standard Bible
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.

NET Bible
Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,

New Heart English Bible
Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate;

Webster's Bible Translation
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

Weymouth New Testament
Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;

World English Bible
Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,

Berean Literal Bible
and having brought the fattened calf, kill it, and having eaten, let us be merry.

Young's Literal Translation
and having brought the fatted calf, kill it, and having eaten, we may be merry,

Smith's Literal Translation
And having brought the fatted calf, sacrifice, and eating, let us be gladdened.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast.

New American Bible
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,

New Revised Standard Version
And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And bring and kill the fat ox, and let us eat and be merry;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
'Bring and kill the fattened ox; let us eat and celebrate.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

Godbey New Testament
and bring hither the fatted calf, slay him, and eating, let us be merry:

Haweis New Testament
and bring hither the stall-fed steer, and kill it; and let us eat, and be joyous.

Mace New Testament
take the fatted calf, and kill it: let us eat and be merry:

Weymouth New Testament
Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;

Worrell New Testament
and bring ye the fatted calf, kill it; and, eating, let us be merry;

Worsley New Testament
and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.…

Cross References
Matthew 22:2-4
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. / He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. / Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

Isaiah 25:6
On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.

Revelation 19:7-9
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. / She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. / Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Matthew 25:10
But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

1 Samuel 16:2-3
“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ / Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

2 Samuel 6:13-15
When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. / And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD, / while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.

Jeremiah 31:12-14
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish. / Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow. / I will fill the souls of the priests abundantly, and will fill My people with My goodness,” declares the LORD.

Amos 9:13-14
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, with which all the hills will flow. / I will restore My people Israel from captivity; they will rebuild and inhabit the ruined cities. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

John 2:1-10
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, / and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. / When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” ...

Nehemiah 8:10
Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Genesis 18:7-8
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. / Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.


Treasury of Scripture

And bring here the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

the fatted.

Genesis 18:7
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

Psalm 63:5
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

Proverbs 9:2
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

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Luke 15
1. The parable of the lost sheep;
8. of the piece of silver;
11. of the prodigal son.














Bring the fattened calf and kill it.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, the fattened calf was reserved for special occasions, symbolizing abundance and celebration. The act of bringing and killing the fattened calf signifies a moment of great joy and festivity. This phrase reflects the father's overwhelming joy at the return of his lost son, paralleling God's joy over a repentant sinner. The fattened calf is a type of Christ, representing the ultimate sacrifice made for humanity's redemption. The preparation of the calf also indicates a communal celebration, emphasizing the importance of community in the biblical narrative.

Let us feast and celebrate.
Feasting and celebration are common biblical themes associated with reconciliation and restoration. This phrase highlights the communal aspect of joy and the importance of sharing in the happiness of others. It echoes the heavenly rejoicing over one sinner who repents, as seen in Luke 15:7 and 15:10. The celebration is not just for the family but involves the entire community, symbolizing the inclusive nature of God's kingdom. This mirrors the eschatological banquet described in Isaiah 25:6, where God prepares a feast for all peoples, signifying the ultimate celebration of salvation and unity in Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Father
Represents God, who is loving, forgiving, and eager to welcome back His lost children.

2. The Prodigal Son
Symbolizes sinners who repent and return to God.

3. The Fatted Calf
A symbol of celebration and abundance, representing the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

4. The Servants
They carry out the father's instructions, symbolizing those who serve God's purposes.

5. The Celebration
Represents the joy and communal rejoicing in the kingdom of God when a sinner repents.
Teaching Points
God's Abundant Grace
The fatted calf signifies the abundance of God's grace. Just as the father spares no expense in celebrating his son's return, God lavishes His grace upon us when we repent.

Joy in Repentance
The celebration underscores the joy that God and the heavenly hosts experience when a sinner repents. This should encourage us to share the gospel and rejoice in others' salvation.

Community in Restoration
The feast is a communal event, highlighting the importance of the church community in supporting and celebrating the restoration of a fellow believer.

Symbol of Sacrifice
The killing of the fatted calf can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice, which makes our reconciliation with God possible.

Invitation to Celebrate
We are invited to participate in God's joy and to celebrate His work in our lives and the lives of others, fostering a spirit of gratitude and worship.(23) Bring hither the fatted calf.--It is interesting to remember the impression which this part of the parable made on one of the great teachers of the Church as early as the second century. Irenaeus (see Introduction) saw in it an illustration of what seemed to him the special characteristic of St. Luke's Gospel, viz., the stress which it lays on the priestly aspect of our Lord's work and ministry. We note, after our more modern method, (1) that in the framework of the story, the definite article points to "the calf" that had been fattened as for some special feast of joy. It answers accordingly to the "feast of fat things" of Isaiah 25:6 - i.e., to the joy of the full fruition of the presence of God; and there is, perhaps, in the command to "kill it" (the word used is the technical one for slaying a sacrificial victim) a half-suggestion that this was only possible through a sacrifice and death. The fatted calf thus comes to represent to us that of which the Eucharistic feast is at once a symbol, a witness, and a pledge.

Verses 23, 24. - And bring hither the fatted calf. There was a custom in the large Palestinian farms that always a calf should be fattening ready for festal occasions. And let us eat... And they began to be merry. Who are intended by these plurals, us and they? We must not forget that the parable-story under the mortal imagery is telling of heavenly as well as of earthly things. The sharers in their joy over the lost, the servants of the prodigal's father on earth, are doubtless the angels of whom we hear (vers. 7, 10), in the two former parables of the lost sheep and of the lost drachma, as rejoicing over the recovery of a lost soul.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Bring
φέρετε (pherete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5342: To carry, bear, bring; I conduct, lead; perhaps: I make publicly known. A primary verb.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

fatted
σιτευτόν (siteuton)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4618: Fattened, fatted. From a derivative of sitos; grain-fed, i.e. Fattened.

calf
μόσχον (moschon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3448: A calf, heifer, young bull. Probably strengthened for oschos; a young bullock.

[and] kill [it].
θύσατε (thysate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2380: A primary verb; properly, to rush, i.e. to sacrifice; by extension to immolate.

Let us feast
φαγόντες (phagontes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.

[and] celebrate.
εὐφρανθῶμεν (euphranthōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2165: From eu and phren; to put in a good frame of mind, i.e. Rejoice.


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NT Gospels: Luke 15:23 Bring the fattened calf kill it (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 15:22
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