Luke 15:7 In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

◄ Luke 15:7 ►

New International Version
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

New Living Translation
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

English Standard Version
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Berean Standard Bible
In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

Berean Literal Bible
I say to you that in the same way there will be joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

New American Standard Bible
I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

NASB 1995
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

NASB 1977
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Legacy Standard Bible
I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Amplified Bible
I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

Christian Standard Bible
I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.

American Standard Version
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus said, "In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don't need to."

English Revised Version
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, which need no repentance.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval."

Good News Translation
In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.

International Standard Version
In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent."

Majority Standard Bible
In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

NET Bible
I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.

New Heart English Bible
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

Webster's Bible Translation
I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance.

Weymouth New Testament
I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.

World English Bible
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
I say to you that [more] joy will be in Heaven over one sinner converting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of conversion.

Berean Literal Bible
I say to you that in the same way there will be joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

Young's Literal Translation
'I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

Smith's Literal Translation
I say to you, that so shall joy be in heaven over one sinful repenting, more than over ninety-nine just, which have no need of repentance.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I say to you, that there will be so much more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, than over the ninety-nine just, who do not need to repent.

New American Bible
I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

New Revised Standard Version
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
I say to you, that such will be the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety and nine righteous, who need no repentance.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“I say to you that there shall be joy like this in Heaven over one sinner who returns home, more than over ninety nine righteous ones who do not need a homecoming.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
I say to you, That thus there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons, who need no repentance.

Godbey New Testament
I say unto you that so there will be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, rather than ninety and nine just persons who have not need of repentance.

Haweis New Testament
I tell you, that just so will there be joy in heaven over one repentant sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who hold not their need of repentance.

Mace New Testament
I tell you, that there shall likewise be greater joy in heaven for one sinner that repents, than for ninety nine just persons, that need no repentance.

Weymouth New Testament
I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.

Worrell New Testament
I say to you, that so there will be joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of repentance.

Worsley New Testament
Thus, I tell you, there shall be joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, that have no need of repentance.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
…6comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ 7In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent. 8Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 18:12-14
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? / And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. / In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Ezekiel 18:23
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

1 Timothy 1:15
This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

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.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. / For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

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.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Treasury of Scripture

I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

joy.

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.

Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 18:13
And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

which.

Luke 15:29
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 18:9-11
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: …

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Luke 15

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

Berean Study Bible

In the same way
This phrase connects the parable of the lost sheep to the heavenly reality Jesus is illustrating. The Greek word "οὕτως" (houtōs) implies a direct comparison, emphasizing that the joy in heaven is akin to the joy of the shepherd finding his lost sheep. This connection underscores the consistency of God's character and His kingdom values, where the lost being found is a cause for celebration.

I tell you
This phrase, "λέγω ὑμῖν" (legō hymin), is a common expression used by Jesus to assert authority and truth. It is a direct address to the listeners, emphasizing the importance and certainty of the statement. Jesus, as the divine teacher, assures His audience of the heavenly perspective, inviting them to trust His insight into spiritual realities.

there will be more joy in heaven
The Greek word for joy, "χαρά" (chara), signifies a deep, abiding gladness. The phrase highlights the heavenly realm's response to repentance, suggesting that the joy is not just human but divine. This joy is "more" (πλεῖον, pleion), indicating a greater intensity compared to other joys, reflecting the immense value God places on each individual soul.

over one sinner who repents
The term "sinner" (ἁμαρτωλός, hamartōlos) refers to someone who has missed the mark of God's holiness. The act of repentance, "μετανοέω" (metanoeō), involves a transformative change of mind and heart, turning away from sin and towards God. This phrase emphasizes the personal nature of salvation; each individual matters profoundly to God, and their turning back to Him is a cause for celestial celebration.

than over ninety-nine righteous ones
The "righteous ones" (δίκαιοι, dikaioi) are those who are in right standing with God, presumably through adherence to the law or moral living. The comparison here is not to diminish the value of the righteous but to highlight the extraordinary joy that comes from redemption and restoration. It challenges the listener to consider the heart of God, who seeks the lost with relentless love.

who do not need to repent
This phrase can be understood in two ways: either as those who are already in a state of grace and do not require repentance, or as a rhetorical device highlighting the perceived self-righteousness of some. The Greek "οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν" (ou chreian echousin) suggests a lack of necessity, pointing to the completeness of those already in God's fold. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for humility and awareness of one's spiritual state.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) Ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.--As regards the men and women among whom our Lord carried on His work, we cannot see in these words anything but a grave and indignant protest, veiled under the form of an apparent concession, against the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. His call to repent had been addressed to all. That all offended in many things; that for a man to say he had not sinned was a lying boast--this was the first postulate of every preacher of the gospel, whatever school of thought he might represent (Romans 3:23; James 3:2; 1John 1:8). Once, indeed, the opposite thought had appeared in the devotional utterance of a penitent Israelite--"Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of 'the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against Thee" (Prayer of Manasses in the Apocrypha); but there it was accompanied by personal contrition and confession. The man felt in his humility, how unlike he was to those saints of God. It was reserved for the Pharisees to develop the thought into the conviction that they were the just persons who needed no repentance, and that all their worship should consist in thanksgiving that they were so. (See Note on Luke 18:11.)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - 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. "But," the Master went on to say, "what I looked for in vain on earth, see, I have found in heaven. What men coldly refused me, the celestials have joyfully given. These understand me. They love both me and my work, do the holy angels." This coldness, even opposition, on the part of the Pharisees and the religious men of Israel to himself and his works, to his teachings of mercy and love, seems certainly to be the reason why Jesus emphasizes, both here and in the next parable, the sympathy which he receives, not on earth from men, but in heaven from beings, inhabitants of another world. Men, have, however, asked - Why do these heavenly beings rejoice over the one more than over the ninety and nine? It is utterly insufficient to say that this joy is occasioned by the getting back something that was lost. Such a feeling is conceivable among men, though even here it would be an exaggerated sentiment, but in heaven, among the immortals, no such feeling could exist; it partakes too much of the sentimental, almost of the hysterical. This higher joy must be due to another cause. Now, the shepherd, when he found the wanderer, did not bring it back to the old fold, or replace it with the rest of the flock, but apparently (ver. 6) brought it to his own home. This would seem to indicate that sinners whom Jesus has come to save, and whom he has saved, are placed in a better position than that from which they originally wandered. This gives us the clue to the angels' joy over the "found one" more than over those who were safe in the old ibid. The Talmudists have taught - and their teaching, no doubt, is but the reflection of what was taught in the great rabbinical schools of Jerusalem before its ruin - that a man who had been guilty of many sins might, by repentance, raise himself to a higher degree of virtue than the perfectly righteous man who had never experienced his temptations. If this were so, well argues Professor Bruce, "surely it was reasonable to occupy one's self in endeavouring to get sinners to start on this noble career of self-elevation, and to rejoice when in any instance he had succeeded. But it is one thing to have correct theories, and another to put them into practice... So they found fault with One (Jesus) who not only held this view as an abstract doctrine, but acted on it, and sought to bring those who had strayed furthest from the paths of righteousness to repentance, believing that, though last, they might yet be first."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

In the same way,
οὕτως (houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

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

there will be [more]
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 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.

joy
χαρὰ (chara)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5479: Joy, gladness, a source of joy. From chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

heaven
οὐρανῷ (ouranō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

over
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

one
ἑνὶ (heni)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

sinner
ἁμαρτωλῷ (hamartōlō)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 268: Sinning, sinful, depraved, detestable. From hamartano; sinful, i.e. A sinner.

who repents
μετανοοῦντι (metanoounti)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3340: From meta and noieo; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. Reconsider.

than
ἢ (ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

over
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

ninety-nine
ἐνενήκοντα (enenēkonta)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1768: Ninety. From a multiple of ennea and ennea itself; ninety-nine.

righteous ones
δικαίοις (dikaiois)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1342: From dike; equitable; by implication, innocent, holy.

who
οἵτινες (hoitines)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

do
ἔχουσιν (echousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

need
χρείαν (chreian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5532: From the base of chraomai or chre; employment, i.e. An affair; also occasion, demand, requirement or destitution.

to repent.
μετανοίας (metanoias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3341: From metanoeo; compunction; by implication, reversal (another's) decision).

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NT Gospels: Luke 15:7 I tell you that even so there (Luke Lu Lk)