The Meaning of Luke 15:7 Explained

Luke 15:7

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

Darby: I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, more than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.

ASV: I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Luke 15:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The99 righteous persons represent the self-righteous Pharisees and lawyers ( Luke 15:2). Jesus was using the term "righteous" in irony. They were not really righteous, but they considered themselves righteous. The contrast then is between God"s joy over one sinner"s salvation compared to His sorrow over99 self-righteous people"s lack of salvation. "In heaven" means in God"s presence (cf. Luke 15:10).
Jesus revealed that even though sinners coming to Jesus made the Pharisees grumble, this rejoiced God"s heart. The parable showed how out of harmony they were with God. It also vindicated Jesus" contacts with sinners.

Context Summary

Luke 15:1-10 - Seeking And Finding The Lost
They that have left the fold in which they were nurtured in early life, and have gone over bleak mountains and through tangled brakes, find themselves in this exquisite picture. But the Lord is on their track. He cannot abide happily with the rest, while one sheep is liable to be torn by beasts of prey or caught away by eagles. He goes after it till He finds it. Don't you think, mother, that the Lord loves that child of yours, now far away, as much as you do? Cannot you trust Him to seek until He finds? Then He will ask you to rejoice with Him. Jesus not only receiveth sinners, but seeketh them. Those who have always lived an outwardly correct life and who do not think themselves in need of repentance are the ninety and nine.
Some have the King's stamp on them, but have rolled away into the dark corner amid dust and shavings. Oh, that we were all more willing to go down on our knees to sweep the floor to find the lost! The nine links of a necklace are useless if the tenth is missing. Christ cannot be satisfied until the lost coin is found. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 15

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

Greek Commentary for Luke 15:7

Over one sinner that repenteth [επι ενι αμαρτωλωι μετανοουντι]
The word sinner points to Luke 15:1. Repenting is what these sinners were doing, these lost sheep brought to the fold. The joy in heaven is in contrast with the grumbling Pharisees and scribes. [source]
More than over [η επι]
There is no comparative in the Greek. It is only implied by a common idiom like our “rather than.”Which need no repentance (οιτινες ου χρειαν εχουσιν μετανοιας — hoitines ou chreian echousin metanoias). Jesus does not mean to say that the Pharisees and the scribes do not need repentance or are perfect. He for the sake of argument accepts their claims about themselves and by their own words condemns them for their criticism of his efforts to save the lost sheep. It is the same point that he made against them when they criticized Jesus and the disciples for being at Levi‘s feast (Luke 5:31.). They posed as “righteous.” Very well, then. That shuts their mouths on the point of Christ‘s saving the publicans and sinners. [source]
Which need no repentance [οιτινες ου χρειαν εχουσιν μετανοιας]
Jesus does not mean to say that the Pharisees and the scribes do not need repentance or are perfect. He for the sake of argument accepts their claims about themselves and by their own words condemns them for their criticism of his efforts to save the lost sheep. It is the same point that he made against them when they criticized Jesus and the disciples for being at Levi‘s feast (Luke 5:31.). They posed as “righteous.” Very well, then. That shuts their mouths on the point of Christ‘s saving the publicans and sinners. [source]
Repenteth []
See on sa40" translation="">Matthew 3:2.sa40 [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 15:7

Luke 11:49 The wisdom of God [η σοπια του τεου]
In Matthew 23:34 Jesus uses “I send” See Luke 10:22; Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10. Here the future tense occurs, “I will send” (αποστελω — apostelō). [source]
Luke 15:10 There is joy [γινεται χαρα]
More exactly, joy arises. Futuristic present of γινομαι — ginomai (cf. εσται — estai in Luke 15:7). [source]
Luke 17:2 If a millstone were hanged [ει λιτος μυλικος περικειται]
Literally, “if a millstone is hanged.” Present passive indicative from περικειμαι — perikeimai (to lie or be placed around). It is used as a perfect passive of περιτιτημι — peritithēmi So it is a first-class condition, determined as fulfilled, not second-class as the English translations imply. Μυλικος — Mulikos is simply a stone Perfect passive indicative from ριπτω — rhiptō old verb. Literally, is thrown or has been thrown or cast or hurled. Mark has βεβληται — beblētai and Matthew καταποντιστηι — katapontisthēi which see, all three verbs vivid and expressive. Rather than (η — ē). The comparative is not here expressed before η — ē as one would expect. It is implied in λυσιτελει — lusitelei See the same idiom in Luke 15:7. [source]
Luke 17:2 Were thrown [ερριπται]
Perfect passive indicative from ριπτω — rhiptō old verb. Literally, is thrown or has been thrown or cast or hurled. Mark has βεβληται — beblētai and Matthew καταποντιστηι — katapontisthēi which see, all three verbs vivid and expressive. Rather than The comparative is not here expressed before η — ē as one would expect. It is implied in λυσιτελει — lusitelei See the same idiom in Luke 15:7. [source]
Revelation 7:11 Round about [κυκλωι]
Preposition (in a circle) with genitive as in Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:11. The angels here rejoice in the salvation of men (Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10; 1 Peter 1:12).Upon their faces (επι τα προσωπα αυτων — epi ta prosōpa autōn). In reverential worship of God as in Revelation 11:16. For this worship (fell and worshipped) see also Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8. The dative τωι τεωι — tōi theōi (God) with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (to worship) is the usual construction for that meaning. When it means merely to do homage the accusative case is usual in this book (Charles). But in the Fourth Gospel the reverse order is true as to the cases with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (Abbott, Joh. Vocab. pp. 138-142). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 15:7 mean?

I say to you that in the same way joy in - heaven there will be over one sinner repenting rather than ninety nine righteous ones who no need have of repentance
λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας

λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
οὕτως  in  the  same  way 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
χαρὰ  joy 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: χαρά  
Sense: joy, gladness.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανῷ  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
ἔσται  there  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἐπὶ  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ἑνὶ  one 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἁμαρτωλῷ  sinner 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτωλός  
Sense: devoted to sin, a sinner.
μετανοοῦντι  repenting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: μετανοέω  
Sense: to change one’s mind, i.
  rather  than 
Parse: Conjunction
Root:  
Sense: either, or, than.
ἐνενήκοντα  ninety 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐνενήκοντα  
Sense: ninety nine.
ἐννέα  nine 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐννέα  
Sense: nine.
δικαίοις  righteous  ones 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: δίκαιος  
Sense: righteous, observing divine laws.
οὐ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
χρείαν  need 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χρεία  
Sense: necessity, need.
μετανοίας  of  repentance 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: μετάνοια  
Sense: a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done.