Luke 15:32
New International Version
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

New Living Translation
We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

English Standard Version
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Berean Standard Bible
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Berean Literal Bible
But it was fitting to make merry and to rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; and he was lost and is found.'"

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

NASB 1995
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

NASB 1977
‘But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’”

Amplified Bible
But it was fitting to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was [as good as] dead and has begun to live. He was lost and has been found.’”

Christian Standard Bible
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

American Standard Version
But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Contemporary English Version
But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found."

English Revised Version
But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But we have something to celebrate, something to be happy about. This brother of yours was dead but has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.'"

Good News Translation
But we had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.'"

International Standard Version
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.'"

Majority Standard Bible
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.??

NET Bible
It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.'"

New Heart English Bible
But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; and he was lost, and is found.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"

World English Bible
But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
but to be merry, and to be glad, it was necessary, because this your brother was dead, and lived again, he was lost, and was found.”

Berean Literal Bible
But it was fitting to make merry and to rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; and he was lost and is found.'"

Young's Literal Translation
but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And to be gladdened, and to rejoice, was fitting: for this thy brother was dead, and has returned to life; and he was lost, and found.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

New American Bible
But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It was right for us to make merry and rejoice; for this your brother was dead and has come to life; and was lost and is found.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“But it is right for us to celebrate and to rejoice. For this your brother was dead, and he is alive. He was lost, and he is found.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But it became us to make merry and rejoice; for this your brother was dead, and is alive again: was lost, and is found.

Godbey New Testament
and it behooved me to be glad and rejoice; because this thy brother was dead, and is alive; was lost, and is found.

Haweis New Testament
But it was right that we should rejoice, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Mace New Testament
but it was necessary to feast and rejoice, because your brother here was dead, and is again alive: he was lost and is now found.

Weymouth New Testament
We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"

Worrell New Testament
But it was meet to make merry, and rejoice; because this your brother was dead, and came to life again; and had been lost, and was found."

Worsley New Testament
But it was fit we should be merry and rejoice; for this thy brother was dead, and is come to life again, was lost and is found.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
31‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

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.

Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

Ephesians 2:1-5
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, / in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. / All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. ...

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,

1 Peter 2:25
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Romans 6:13
Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

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 18:32
For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent 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?’

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.

Jonah 4:11
So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”


Treasury of Scripture

It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

was meet.

Luke 7:34
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

Psalm 51:8
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Isaiah 35:10
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

for.

Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Ephesians 2:1-10
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; …

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Luke 15
1. The parable of the lost sheep;
8. of the piece of silver;
11. of the prodigal son.














But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad,
This phrase emphasizes the appropriateness of rejoicing over the return of the lost. In the cultural context of the time, celebrations were significant communal events, often marking important life transitions or reconciliations. The father's decision to celebrate reflects the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, as seen in Luke 15:7. This mirrors the joy of God when a lost soul returns to Him, highlighting the theme of grace and forgiveness.

because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;
The imagery of death and life is symbolic of spiritual states. In Ephesians 2:1, Paul speaks of being "dead in trespasses and sins," which aligns with the son's previous state of separation from the father. His return signifies a resurrection to new life, akin to the transformation believers experience through salvation in Christ. This also echoes the prophecy of Ezekiel 37, where dry bones are brought to life, symbolizing Israel's restoration.

he was lost and is found.’”
The theme of being lost and found is central to the parables in Luke 15, including the lost sheep and the lost coin. It underscores the relentless pursuit of God for those who have strayed. The joy of finding what was lost is a powerful metaphor for redemption and restoration. This reflects the mission of Jesus, who came "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10), and serves as a reminder of the value of every individual to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Father
Represents God, who is loving, forgiving, and eager to welcome back those who repent.

2. The Prodigal Son
Symbolizes sinners who repent and return to God after straying away.

3. The Older Brother
Represents those who may be self-righteous or struggle with forgiving others who have sinned.

4. The Celebration
A metaphor for the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

5. The Household
Represents the Kingdom of God, where all are welcome upon repentance.
Teaching Points
The Joy of Repentance
God rejoices when a sinner repents and returns to Him. This should encourage us to seek forgiveness and celebrate others' repentance.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness
The older brother's attitude warns against self-righteousness and the inability to forgive. We must guard our hearts against these tendencies.

God’s Unconditional Love
The father's acceptance of the prodigal son illustrates God's unconditional love and readiness to forgive, no matter how far we have strayed.

Restoration and Renewal
Just as the prodigal son was restored to his family, we are restored to God’s family through repentance and faith in Christ.

Community and Celebration
The celebration signifies the importance of community in the Christian faith, where we support and rejoice with one another in spiritual victories.(32) It was meet that we should make merry.--The Greek expresses moral necessity rather than mere fitness. "We must needs rejoice;" it could not be otherwise. The repetition of the same words that had been used before, "he was dead . . ." is singularly-emphatic. This, and nothing more or less than this was the true account of the change that had passed over the wanderer; and this ought to be a source of joy to all his kindred. There is, perhaps, a touch of tenderness as well as reproof in the way in which the scornful "this thy son" is met by "this thy brother." The elder son had forgotten that fact, and had almost disclaimed his own sonship in his scorn for the offender.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

it was fitting
ἔδει (edei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary.

to celebrate
εὐφρανθῆναι (euphranthēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 2165: From eu and phren; to put in a good frame of mind, i.e. Rejoice.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

rejoice,
χαρῆναι (charēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 5463: A primary verb; to be 'cheer'ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation, be well.

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

this
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

brother
ἀδελφός (adelphos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

of yours
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 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.

dead
νεκρὸς (nekros)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3498: (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is alive again;
ἔζησεν (ezēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

he was lost
ἀπολωλὼς (apolōlōs)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 622: From apo and the base of olethros; to destroy fully, literally or figuratively.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

is found.’”
εὑρέθη (heurethē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.


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