But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Parallel translations
- WEB “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
- KJV But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
- NKJV “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
- NASB But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet;
- NLT “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The father orders the best robe, a ring, and shoes, signs of full restoration to sonship rather than servanthood.
Overview
Each gift signifies honor: the robe of dignity, the ring of authority and family identity, the shoes of a free son rather than a barefoot slave. The father does not merely forgive but lavishly reinstates. So God clothes the redeemed in the righteousness of Christ and adopts them as His own.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- Esth 8:2The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.
- Gen 41:42Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
- Isa 61:10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Rev 6:11Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.
- Esth 3:10So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
- Zech 3:3–5Now Joshua was dressed in filthy garments as he stood before the angel.
- Rev 7:9After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- Rev 19:8She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.
- Rev 3:4–5But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
- Eph 4:22–24to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Gal 4:5–6to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
- Rom 13:14Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
- Ps 132:9May Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints shout for joy.
- Ps 45:13All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.
- Rev 7:13–14Then one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes,” he asked, “who are they, and where have they come from?”
- Song 7:1How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O daughter of the prince! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the handiwork of a master.
- Eph 6:15and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace.
- Rom 8:15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- Gal 3:27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- Ezek 16:9–13Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.
- Rev 2:17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.
- Deut 33:25May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and may your strength match your days.”
- Ps 18:33He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.
- Rev 3:18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
- Eph 1:13–14And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- Rom 3:22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
- Ps 132:16I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will sing out in joy.
- Matt 22:11–12But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 15:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.