Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
Verse Takeaways
1
The 'Righteous' Are Self-Righteous
Commentators overwhelmingly agree that Jesus is not describing genuinely sinless people. Instead, He is using irony to address the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes. By referring to 'ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance,' He is using their own arrogant self-perception against them to justify His ministry to those who know they are sinners.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Luke
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
9
18th Century
Presbyterian
Likewise joy, and so forth. It is a principle of human nature that the recovery of an object in danger of being lost affords much…
Over one sinner that repenteth (επ εν αμαρτωλω μετανοουντ). The word sinner points to verse 1. Repenting is what these sinners wer…
19th Century
Anglican
Ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.—As regards the men and women among whom our Lord carried on His w…
Consider supporting our work
Baptist
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which…
For the phrase “suppose one of you,” see comment on 14:5. The situation Jesus describes was a common one. One hundred sheep was a normal-sized floc…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be heaven In the church below, and among the members of it; which is sometim…
Get curated content & updates
The parable of the lost sheep is very applicable to the great work of man's redemption. The lost sheep represents the sinner as having departed fro…
