Luke 15:22-27

15:22 But the father said to his slaves, ¹  ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, ²  and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger ³  and sandals ⁴  on his feet! 15:23 Bring ⁵  the fattened calf ⁶  and kill it! Let us eat ⁷  and celebrate, 15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ ⁸  So ⁹  they began to celebrate.

15:25 “Now his older son was in the field. As ¹⁰  he came and approached the house, he heard music ¹¹  and dancing. 15:26 So ¹²  he called one of the slaves ¹³  and asked what was happening. 15:27 The slave replied, ¹⁴  ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf ¹⁵  because he got his son ¹⁶  back safe and sound.’

¹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

² sn With the instructions Hurry! Bring the best robe, there is a total acceptance of the younger son back into the home.

³ tn Grk “hand”; but χείρ (ceir) can refer to either the whole hand or any relevant part of it (L&N 8.30).

⁴ sn The need for sandals underlines the younger son’s previous destitution, because he was barefoot.

⁵ tn Grk “And bring.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁶ tn Or “the prize calf” (L&N 65.8). See also L&N 44.2, “grain-fattened.” Such a calf was usually reserved for religious celebrations.

⁷ tn The participle φαγόντες (fagontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁸ sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.

¹⁰ tn Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹¹ sn This would have been primarily instrumental music, but might include singing as well.

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the older son hearing the noise of the celebration in progress.

¹³ tn The Greek term here, παῖς (pais), describes a slave, possibly a household servant regarded with some affection (L&N 87.77).

¹⁴ tn Grk “And he said to him.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated. The rest of the phrase has been simplified to “the slave replied,” with the referent (the slave) specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵ tn See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. 23.

¹⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the younger son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.