Luke 15:2-7

15:2 But ¹  the Pharisees ²  and the experts in the law ³  were complaining, ⁴  “This man welcomes ⁵  sinners and eats with them.”

15:3 So ⁶  Jesus ⁷  told them ⁸  this parable: ⁹  15:4 “Which one ¹⁰  of you, if he has a hundred ¹¹  sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture ¹²  and go look for ¹³  the one that is lost until he finds it? ¹⁴  15:5 Then ¹⁵  when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 15:6 Returning ¹⁶  home, he calls together ¹⁷  his ¹⁸  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 ¹⁹  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ²⁰  who have no need to repent. ²¹ 

[15:2]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[15:2]  ² sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[15:2]  ³ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[15:2]  ⁴ tn Or “grumbling”; Grk “were complaining, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:2]  ⁵ tn Or “accepts,” “receives.” This is not the first time this issue has been raised: Luke 5:27-32; 7:37-50.

[15:3]  ⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ telling of the parable is in response to the complaints of the Pharisees and experts in the law.

[15:3]  ⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:3]  ⁸ sn Them means at the minimum the parable is for the leadership, but probably also for those people Jesus accepted, but the leaders regarded as outcasts.

[15:3]  ⁹ tn Grk “parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “What man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.

[15:4]  ¹¹ sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.

[15:4]  ¹² tn Or “desert,” but here such a translation might suggest neglect of the 99 sheep left behind.

[15:4]  ¹³ tn Grk “go after,” but in contemporary English the idiom “to look for” is used to express this.

[15:4]  ¹⁴ sn Until he finds it. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.

[15:5]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:6]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “And coming into his…” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[15:6]  ¹⁷ sn A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9-10).

[15:6]  ¹⁸ 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.

[15:7]  ¹⁹ 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.

[15:7]  ²⁰ tn Here δικαίοις (dikaioi") is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”

[15:7]  ²¹ tn Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”