Luke 15:29
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

Berean Literal Bible
And answering, he said to his father, 'Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I disobey a commandment of yours; and never did you give to me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

New American Standard Bible
But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

NASB 1995
“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

NASB 1977
“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends;

Legacy Standard Bible
But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends.

Amplified Bible
But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglected or disobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me [so much as] a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

Christian Standard Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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 young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

American Standard Version
But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But he said to his father, “Behold, I have served you for many years of servitude, and I have never transgressed your command, and you never gave a goat to me that I may celebrate with my friends.”

Contemporary English Version
But he said to his father, "For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends:

English Revised Version
But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But he answered his father, 'All these years I've worked like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed one of your commands. Yet, you've never given me so much as a little goat for a celebration with my friends.

Good News Translation
But he spoke back to his father, 'Look, all these years I have worked for you like a slave, and I have never disobeyed your orders. What have you given me? Not even a goat for me to have a feast with my friends!

International Standard Version
But he answered his father, 'Listen! All these years I've worked like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat for a festival so I could celebrate with my friends.

Literal Standard Version
and he answering said to the father, Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I transgress your command, and you never gave to me a kid that I might make merry with my friends;

Majority Standard Bible
But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

New American Bible
He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

NET Bible
but he answered his father, 'Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!

New Revised Standard Version
But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.

New Heart English Bible
But he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he answering, said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither have I at any time transgressed thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

Weymouth New Testament
"'All these years,' replied the son, 'I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends;

World English Bible
But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

Young's Literal Translation
and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
28The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’…

Cross References
Luke 15:28
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

Luke 15:30
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!'


Treasury of Scripture

And he answering said to his father, See, these many years do I serve you, neither transgressed I at any time your commandment: and yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

Lo.

Luke 17:10
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Luke 18:9,11,12,20,21
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: …

1 Samuel 15:13,14
And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD…

yet.

Luke 15:7
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.

Luke 19:21
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

Malachi 1:12,13
But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible…

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Celebrate Command Commandment Disobeyed Enjoy Friends Gavest Goat Kid Merry Neglected Orders Servant Serve Served Serving Time Transgressed Young
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Celebrate Command Commandment Disobeyed Enjoy Friends Gavest Goat Kid Merry Neglected Orders Servant Serve Served Serving Time Transgressed Young
Luke 15
1. The parable of the lost sheep;
8. of the piece of silver;
11. of the prodigal son.














(29) Lo, these many years do I serve thee.--The very word "I serve," as a slave serves, is eminently suggestive. The obedience had all along been servile, prompted by fear and hope, even as the slave's obedience is. The language put into the mouth of the elder son is clearly meant to represent the habitual thoughts of the Pharisees. They are taken, as it were, after our Lord's manner, as seen in the previous parables, at their own valuation of themselves. They are conscious of no transgressions; but in that very unconsciousness lies the secret of the absence of any sense of joy in being forgiven, of any power to sympathise with the joy of others, even of any satisfaction in the service in which they pride themselves. (Comp. Notes on Luke 7:47-50.) They are scandalised at the gladness which others feel when a penitent returns to God. It seems like an insult and wrong to themselves. Their life has been one of uniform obedience; they have performed their religious duties. Why is so much stir made about those who have fallen as they never fell?

Verses 29-32. - Lo, these many years do I serve thee. Bengel quaintly comments here, "Serous erat." This was the true nature of this later Jewish service of the Eternal. To them the eternal God was simply a Master. They were slaves who had a hard and difficult task to perform, and for which they looked for a definite payment. Neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment. We have here reproduced the spirit, almost the very words, of the well-known answer of the young man in the gospel story, who was no doubt a promising scion of the Pharisee party: "All these things have I kept from my youth up." The same thought was in the mind, too, of him who thus prayed in the temple: "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are," etc. (Luke 18:11, 12). Yet thou never gavest me a kid... All that I have is thine. Thy brother has the shoes, the ring, the robe, the banquet; thou the inheritance, for all that I have is thine. Why grudge to thy brother an hour of the gladness which has been thine these many years? As soon as this thy son was come,... For this thy brother was dead. The angry elder son will not even acknowledge the prodigal as his brother; with bitter scorn and some disrespect he speaks of him to his father as "thy son." The father throughout the scene is never incensed. He pleads rather than reproaches, and to this insolence he simply retorts, "Thy brother was dead to us, but now - It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad." What was the end of this strange scene? The last words, breathing forgiveness and joy, leave a sweet sense of hope upon the reader that all would yet be well in that divided household, and that the brothers, friends again, would clasp hands before the loving father's eyes. But when Jesus told the parable to the crowds, the story was not yet played out. It depended on the Pharisees and rulers how the scene was to end. What happened at Jerusalem a few weeks later, when the Passion-drama was acted, and some forty years later, when the city was sacked, tells us something of what subsequently happened to the elder son of the Lord's parable. But the end has yet to come. We shall yet see the brothers, Jew and Gentile, clasp hands in loving friendship before the father, when the long-lost elder son comes home. There will be joy then indeed in the presence of the angels of God.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

he answered
ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

father,
πατρὶ (patri)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

‘Look,
Ἰδοὺ (Idou)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400: See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!

all these
τοσαῦτα (tosauta)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5118: So great, so large, so long, so many. From tosos and houtos; so vast as this, i.e. Such.

years
ἔτη (etē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year.

I have served
δουλεύω (douleuō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1398: To be a slave, be subject to, obey, be devoted. From doulos; to be a slave to.

you
σοι (soi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

never
οὐδέποτε (oudepote)
Adverb
Strong's 3763: Never. From oude and pote; not even at any time, i.e. Never at all.

disobeyed
παρῆλθον (parēlthon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3928: From para and erchomai; to come near or aside, i.e. To approach, go by, perish or neglect, avert.

a commandment
ἐντολήν (entolēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

of yours.
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Yet
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you never gave
ἔδωκας (edōkas)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

me
ἐμοὶ (emoi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

[even] a young goat
ἔριφον (eriphon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2056: A goat. Perhaps from the same as erion; a kid or goat.

so
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

I could celebrate
εὐφρανθῶ (euphranthō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2165: From eu and phren; to put in a good frame of mind, i.e. Rejoice.

with
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

my
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

friends.
φίλων (philōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 5384: Friendly; subst: a friend, an associate. Properly, dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly.


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NT Gospels: Luke 15:29 But he answered his father 'Behold these (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 15:28
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