Luke 15:24
New International Version
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

New Living Translation
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

English Standard Version
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Berean Standard Bible
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Berean Literal Bible
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

King James Bible
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

New King James Version
for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

New American Standard Bible
for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

NASB 1995
for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

NASB 1977
for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ And they began to be merry.

Legacy Standard Bible
for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Amplified Bible
for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Christian Standard Bible
because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! ’ So they began to celebrate.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

American Standard Version
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Contemporary English Version
This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate.

English Revised Version
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.' Then they began to celebrate.

Good News Translation
For this son of mine was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.' And so the feasting began.

International Standard Version
Because my son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

Majority Standard Bible
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!? So they began to celebrate.

NET Bible
because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again--he was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.

New Heart English Bible
for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate.

Webster's Bible Translation
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Weymouth New Testament
for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.

World English Bible
for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
because this son of mine was dead, and lived again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

Berean Literal Bible
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

Young's Literal Translation
because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this my son was dead, and has returned to life; and he was lost, and found. And they began to be gladdened.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast.

New American Bible
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.

New Revised Standard Version
for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For this my son was dead, and has come to life; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
'Because this, my son, was dead, and he is alive; he was lost, and now he is found.' And they began to celebrate.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
for this my son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Godbey New Testament
because this my son was dead, and is alive again; was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Haweis New Testament
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. And they began to be joyous.

Mace New Testament
for this son of mine was dead, and is come to life: he was lost, and is found again, and then they began their feast.

Weymouth New Testament
for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.

Worrell New Testament
because this my son was dead, and came to life again; had been lost, and was found.' And they began to be merry.

Worsley New Testament
for this my son was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
23Bring 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. 25Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.…

Cross References
Ephesians 2:1-5
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, / in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. / All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. ...

Romans 6:13
Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Romans 8:10
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

1 Peter 2:25
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

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.

1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Isaiah 53:6
We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. / He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry. / Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.” ...

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.


Treasury of Scripture

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

this.

Luke 15:32
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Mark 8:22
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

John 5:21,24,25
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will…

he.

Luke 15:4,8
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? …

Luke 19:10
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Genesis 45:28
And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

they.

Luke 15:7,9
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance…

Luke 10:19
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Isaiah 35:10
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

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














For this son of mine
This phrase highlights the personal relationship between the father and the son. In the Greek, the word for "son" is "huios," which emphasizes not just a biological connection but a relational and positional one. The father claims ownership and responsibility, reflecting God's covenant relationship with His people. Historically, the father-son relationship in Jewish culture was one of deep significance, often representing inheritance and legacy. This mirrors the spiritual inheritance believers receive from God.

was dead
The term "dead" here is metaphorical, indicating a state of separation or lostness rather than physical death. In Greek, "nekros" is used, which can imply being spiritually dead or inactive. This reflects the biblical theme of spiritual death due to sin, as seen in Ephesians 2:1. The son's previous state symbolizes humanity's condition apart from God, emphasizing the need for spiritual rebirth.

and is alive again
The phrase "alive again" signifies resurrection and restoration. The Greek word "anazao" means to live again, indicating a return to life or vitality. This mirrors the Christian doctrine of being born again, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3. Theologically, it represents the transformative power of repentance and God's grace, bringing believers from spiritual death to life.

he was lost
"Lost" in this context is translated from the Greek "apollymi," which means to be destroyed or to perish. It conveys a sense of being in a state of ruin or without direction. Biblically, it reflects the condition of those who are separated from God, as seen in the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin earlier in Luke 15. It underscores the peril of living outside of God's will.

and is found
The word "found" comes from the Greek "heurisko," meaning to discover or come upon after searching. This implies an active pursuit by the father, symbolizing God's relentless search for the lost. It echoes the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, as mentioned in Luke 15:7. Theologically, it highlights God's initiative in salvation and His joy in restoring the lost to Himself.

So they began to celebrate
Celebration in this context is a communal expression of joy and restoration. The Greek word "euphraino" means to rejoice or be glad. This reflects the biblical theme of joy in salvation, as seen in the rejoicing of the angels over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). Historically, feasts and celebrations were significant in Jewish culture, often marking important religious and familial milestones. This celebration signifies the joy of reconciliation and the communal aspect of salvation, inviting others to share in the joy of a restored relationship with God.

(24) This my son was dead.--The words, looked at merely as part of the story, have a wonderful pathos. Absence, alienation, the self-chosen shame, this had made the father think of the son as "dead." Death would indeed have been far easier to bear. Spiritually, we are taught that repentance is nothing less than the passing from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, from the "graves of lust" (Numbers 11:34) to the power of the resurrection. The "lost" and "found" appear as furnishing the link that connects this with the preceding parables, and makes the trilogy, as it were, complete.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

this
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

son
υἱός (huios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.

of mine
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

dead
νεκρὸς (nekros)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3498: (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is alive again!
ἀνέζησεν (anezēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 326: To come to life again, revive, regain life. To recover life.

He was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

lost
ἀπολωλὼς (apolōlōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 622: From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is found!’
εὑρέθη (heurethē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

So
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they began
ἤρξαντο (ērxanto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 756: To begin. Middle voice of archo; to commence.

to celebrate.
εὐφραίνεσθαι (euphrainesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
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 15:24 For this my son was dead (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 15:23
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