Luke 15:25-27

15:25 “Now his older son was in the field. As ¹  he came and approached the house, he heard music ²  and dancing. 15:26 So ³  he called one of the slaves ⁴  and asked what was happening. 15:27 The slave replied, ⁵  ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf ⁶  because he got his son ⁷  back safe and sound.’

[15:25]  ¹ tn Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[15:25]  ² sn This would have been primarily instrumental music, but might include singing as well.

[15:26]  ³ 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.

[15:26]  ⁴ tn The Greek term here, παῖς (pais), describes a slave, possibly a household servant regarded with some affection (L&N 87.77).

[15:27]  ⁵ 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.

[15:27]  ⁶ tn See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. 23.

[15:27]  ⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the younger son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.