^15:25“Now his older son was in the field. As⁷⁷ he came and approached the house, he heard music⁷⁸ and dancing. ^15:26So⁷⁹ he called one of the slaves⁸⁰ and asked what was happening. ^15:27The slave replied,⁸¹ ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf⁸² because he got his son⁸³ back safe and sound.’ ^15:28But the older son⁸⁴ became angry⁸⁵ and refused⁸⁶ to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, ^15:29but he answered⁸⁷ his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave⁸⁸ for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet⁸⁹ you never gave me even a goat⁹⁰ so that I could celebrate with my friends! ^15:30But when this son of yours⁹¹ came back, who has devoured⁹² your assets with prostitutes,⁹³ you killed the fattened calf⁹⁴ for him!’ ^15:31Then⁹⁵ the father⁹⁶ said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. ^15:32It was appropriate⁹⁷ to celebrate and be glad, for your brother⁹⁸ was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’ ”⁹⁹

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Footnotes

77 Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
78 This would have been primarily instrumental music, but might include singing as well.
79 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the older son hearing the noise of the celebration in progress.
80 The Greek term here, παῖς (pais), describes a slave, possibly a household servant regarded with some affection (L&N 87.77).
81 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.
82 See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. .
83 Grk “him”; the referent (the younger son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
84 Grk “he”; the referent (the older son, v. 25) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
85 The aorist verb ὠργίσθη (ōrgisthē) has been translated as an ingressive aorist, reflecting entry into a state or condition.
86 Ironically the attitude of the older son has left him outside and without joy.
87 Grk “but answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “but he answered.”
88 Or simply, “have served,” but in the emotional context of the older son’s outburst the translation given is closer to the point.
89 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to bring out the contrast indicated by the context.
90 You never gave me even a goat. The older son’s complaint was that the generous treatment of the younger son was not fair: “I can’t get even a little celebration with a basic food staple like a goat!”
91 Note the younger son is not “my brother” but this son of yours (an expression with a distinctly pejorative nuance).
92 This is another graphic description. The younger son’s consumption had been like a glutton. He had both figuratively and literally devoured the assets which were given to him.
93 The charge concerning the prostitutes is unproven, but essentially the older brother accuses the father of committing an injustice by rewarding his younger son’s unrighteous behavior.
94 See note on the phrase “fattened calf” in v. .
95 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the parable.
96 Grk “he”; the referent (the father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
97 Or “necessary.”
98 By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.
99 The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.’ ”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

“ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

NLTNew Living Translation

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 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!’ ”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the slaves and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has gotten him back healthy.’ But he became angry and did not want to go in. So his father came out and began to implore him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Behold, so many years I have served you, and have never disobeyed your command! And you never gave me a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends! But when this son of yours returned—who has consumed your assets with prostitutes—you killed the fattened calf for him!’ But he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and everything I have belongs to you. But it was necessary to celebrate and to rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead, and is alive, and was lost, and is found!’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 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.

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