Luke 12:4

12:4 “I ¹  tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, ²  and after that have nothing more they can do.

Luke 15:6-7

15:6 Returning ³  home, he calls together ⁴  his ⁵  friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 15:7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner ⁶  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ⁷  who have no need to repent. ⁸ 

Luke 15:9-10

15:9 Then ⁹  when she has found it, she calls together her ¹⁰  friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice ¹¹  with me, for I have found the coin ¹²  that I had lost.’ 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ¹³  over one sinner who repents.”

John 3:29

3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly ¹⁴  when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. ¹⁵ 

John 15:14-15

15:14 You are my friends ¹⁶  if you do what I command you. 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, ¹⁷  because the slave does not understand ¹⁸  what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything ¹⁹  I heard ²⁰  from my Father.

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.

³ tn Grk “And coming into his…” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁴ sn A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9-10).

⁵ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215). It occurs before “neighbors” as well (“his friends and his neighbors”) but has not been translated the second time because of English style.

⁶ sn There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The pursuit of the sinner is a priority in spite of the presence of others who are doing well (see also Luke 5:32; 19:10). The theme of repentance, a major Lukan theme, is again emphasized.

⁷ tn Here δικαίοις (dikaioi") is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”

⁸ tn Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹⁰ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

¹¹ sn Rejoice. Besides the theme of pursuing the lost, the other theme of the parable is the joy of finding them.

¹² tn Grk “drachma.”

¹³ sn The whole of heaven is said to rejoice. Joy in the presence of God’s angels is a way of referring to God’s joy as well without having to name him explicitly. Contemporary Judaism tended to refer to God indirectly where possible out of reverence or respect for the divine name.

¹⁴ tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).

¹⁵ tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”

¹⁶ sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).

¹⁷ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

¹⁸ tn Or “does not know.”

¹⁹ tn Grk “all things.”

²⁰ tn Or “learned.”