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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
- BSB comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
- NKJV And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
- NASB And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’
- NLT When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
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 shepherd who recovers his lost sheep gathers friends to rejoice, showing that the finding of one lost one is cause for shared celebration.
Overview
In the parable of the lost sheep, the joy is not private but communal. Jesus pictures God as a shepherd whose delight overflows when even one stray is restored. This anticipates the gospel: Christ is the Good Shepherd who seeks and saves the lost, and heaven joins in the rejoicing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Luke 15:10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
- Luke 15:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
- Ps 119:176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
- 1 Pet 2:25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
- John 3:29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
- John 15:14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
- Acts 11:23Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
- Luke 2:13–14And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
- Isa 66:10–11Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
- Phil 2:17Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
- Luke 15:7I 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.
- 1 Pet 2:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
- Acts 15:3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
- 1 Th 3:7–9Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
- 1 Th 2:19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
- Phil 1:4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
- Phil 4:1Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 15:6 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.