^15:1Now all the tax collectors¹ and sinners were coming² to hear him. ^15:2But³ the Pharisees⁴ and the experts in the law⁵ were complaining,⁶ “This man welcomes⁷ sinners and eats with them.”

^15:3So⁸ Jesus⁹ told them¹⁰ this parable:¹¹^15:4“Which one¹² of you, if he has a hundred¹³ sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture¹⁴ and go look for¹⁵ the one that is lost until he finds it?¹⁶^15:5Then¹⁷ when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ^15:6Returning¹⁸ home, he calls together¹⁹ his²⁰ friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ^15:7I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner²¹ who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people²² who have no need to repent.²³

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Luke 15:7: Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Footnotes

1 See the note on tax collectors in .
2 Grk “were drawing near.”
3 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
4 See the note on Pharisees in .
5 Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
6 Or “grumbling”; Grk “were complaining, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
7 Or “accepts,” “receives.” This is not the first time this issue has been raised: Luke 5:27–32; 7:37–50.
8 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.
9 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 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.
11 Grk “parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
12 Grk “What man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used here in a somewhat generic sense.
13 This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.
14 Or “desert,” but here such a translation might suggest neglect of the 99 sheep left behind.
15 Grk “go after,” but in contemporary English the idiom “to look for” is used to express this.
16 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.
17 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
18 Grk “And coming into his …” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
19 A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9–10).
20 Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun ( ). It occurs before “neighbors” as well (“his friends and his neighbors”) but has not been translated the second time because of English style.
21 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.
22 Here δικαίοις (dikaiois) is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”
23 Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

NLTNew Living Translation

Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”

So he told them this parable, saying, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he returns to his home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

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