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And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
Luke 15:28 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him.
  • BSB The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
  • NKJV “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
  • NASB But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
  • NLT “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,

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 elder son refuses to join the feast in anger, so the father comes out and pleads with him too.

Overview

His refusal mirrors the Pharisees who would not rejoice over repentant sinners. Yet remarkably, the father goes out to entreat the elder as he had run to the younger; grace is offered to both. God pleads with the self-righteous as well as the openly sinful to enter His joy.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • 1 Sam 18:8And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
  • Jonah 4:9And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
  • Gen 4:5–7But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
  • Luke 15:2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
  • Jonah 4:1–4But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
  • Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
  • Isa 65:5Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
  • Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
  • 1 Sam 17:28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
  • Luke 5:30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
  • Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
  • Isa 66:5Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
  • Rom 10:19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
  • Luke 24:47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
  • Acts 14:2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
  • Matt 20:11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
  • Acts 14:19And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
  • 1 Th 2:16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
  • Acts 13:50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
  • Acts 22:21–22And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
  • 2 Cor 5:20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 15:28YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 15:28 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.