Luke 15:27 kjv

And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

Luke 15:27 nkjv

And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

Luke 15:27 niv

'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

Luke 15:27 esv

And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.'

Luke 15:27 nlt

'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'

Luke 15 verses

Luke 15 27 Meaning

Luke 15:27 relays the servant's joyous news to the older brother regarding the younger son's return. The message announces that the younger brother, presumed lost or dead, has safely returned, prompting the father to order the lavish slaughter of the fattened calf in celebration of his full and healthy restoration. This highlights the father's overwhelming relief, joy, and unconditional welcome of his repentant son, underscoring the divine joy over a lost sinner's return to God.

Luke 15 27 Context

Luke chapter 15 records three parables of lost things: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (the Prodigal Son). These parables were delivered by Jesus in response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling because He welcomed and ate with sinners (Lk 15:1-2). Jesus uses these stories to illustrate God's boundless love, active pursuit, and immense joy over the repentance and restoration of a lost individual.

Verse 27 specifically occurs during the latter part of the third parable, after the younger son has returned and the father has embraced him. The elder brother, returning from the field, hears the sounds of celebration and inquires about them. This verse represents the servant's explanation to the elder brother, setting the stage for the elder brother's ensuing resentment and refusal to participate in the joy. Historically and culturally, a "fattened calf" (often a year-old prime animal, raised specifically for a feast) indicated a major celebration, far beyond an ordinary meal, signifying great honor and an event of extreme importance for the entire community. It underscores the profound significance the father placed on his son's return, seeing it as a re-birth or a resurrection.

Luke 15 27 Word analysis

• And he said to him (Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Kai eipen autō):

  • He refers to one of the servants from verse 26. The servants here act as heralds of the father's will and joy.
  • To him refers to the older brother who had been out in the field. This introduces the elder brother's perspective and subsequent reaction.

• ‘Your brother (ὁ ἀδελφός σου, ho adelphos sou):

  • Your brother: The servant explicitly reminds the elder son of their blood relationship. This is a subtle yet significant detail, as the elder brother later disavows this kinship by calling him "this son of yours" (Lk 15:30).
  • This term underlines the indelible family bond, even if it was broken by one party.

• has come (ἥκει, hēkei):

  • From the verb hēkō, meaning "to have come," "to be present," "to be here." It emphasizes the concrete, completed act of his return. He is not merely on his way, but present and accounted for.
  • This is a factual statement of arrival, marking the transition from absence to presence.

• and your father (ὁ πατήρ σου, ho patēr sou):

  • Your father: Re-emphasizes the father's active role and central position in the narrative. The servant consistently attributes the actions to the father, aligning with the parable's focus on God the Father.

• has killed the fattened calf (ἔθυσεν τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, ethusen ton moschon ton siteuton):

  • Killed (ethusen): From thyō, "to sacrifice," "to kill an animal for food." While not a ritual sacrifice in this context, the word choice can subtly echo sacrificial motifs in terms of the costly provision for reconciliation and fellowship.
  • Fattened calf (ton moschon ton siteuton): A specific term referring to a young bull or steer that has been specially fed and prepared for slaughter. This animal was a considerable investment and was reserved for significant feasts and celebrations (cf. Amos 6:4, 1 Sam 28:24).
  • This signifies extreme abundance, extraordinary joy, and a feast of grand scale, indicative of an unparalleled occasion. It suggests complete restoration and the highest honor being bestowed upon the returning son, not merely basic provision. It points to a deep, overflowing joy, far beyond simple forgiveness.

• because he has received him back safe and sound’ (ὅτι ὑγιάινοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν, hoti hygiainonta auton apelaben):

  • Because (hoti): Introduces the reason for the grand celebration, clearly linking the father's joy to the son's welfare.
  • Received him back (apelaben): From apolambanō, meaning "to receive back," "to get back," "to welcome." It conveys a full, comprehensive re-acceptance into the family.
  • Safe and sound (hygiainonta): Lit. "being in good health," "healthy," "well." It implies not just that he is alive, but that he has been restored to a state of complete well-being, both physically and implying spiritually (as he had been spiritually "dead").
  • This emphasizes the unexpected and joyous completeness of his return – not just alive, but flourishing. This physical state mirrors the spiritual revival of the once lost sinner.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf": This grouping directly links the return of the son to the immediate and grand celebratory action of the father. It emphasizes the direct causality and the scale of the joy.
  • "because he has received him back safe and sound": This phrase clarifies the reason for the celebration, emphasizing the father's personal delight and the completeness of the son's restoration. The contrast with the younger son's prior state (destitution, hunger, working with pigs, "dead") amplifies the profound impact of this restoration. It speaks of full reconciliation, where all the debt of past failures is superseded by present grace and completeness.

Luke 15 27 Bonus section

• The detail of the servant being the messenger highlights that the father's joy is openly declared and enacted, inviting the entire household (and implicitly, the community) to participate.
• The use of the "fattened calf" could also carry echoes of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, where specific animals were offered to signify covenant renewal or reconciliation, thereby suggesting the profound nature of the spiritual reunion with God. While not a literal sacrifice in this parable, the costly animal evokes themes of atonement and fellowship meals in the biblical tradition, albeit in a context of pure grace.
• The older brother being informed by a servant rather than the father himself shows the father's singular focus on the restored son at that moment, perhaps hinting at a deliberate contrast between the two brothers in their understanding of familial love and grace.

Luke 15 27 Commentary

Luke 15:27 serves as a pivotal communication point within the parable, spoken by a diligent servant to the elder son. This concise message efficiently conveys the profound reason for the unprecedented celebration occurring at the father's house. The core message is one of pure, unrestrained joy born from an unexpected return and complete restoration.

The detail that the father has killed the "fattened calf" is paramount. This was no common meal; it signified a pre-planned, extremely costly, and extravagant feast reserved for the most significant occasions. It visually embodies the father's limitless joy and boundless love, demonstrating that the younger son's return is seen as an event of monumental significance, akin to a resurrection. It foreshadows God's costly grace through Christ.

The reason explicitly stated by the servant, "because he has received him back safe and sound," reinforces the father's unconditional acceptance. The term "safe and sound" (ὑγιάινοντα) goes beyond mere survival; it implies a full and complete well-being, a restoration from the brink of spiritual and physical demise. This speaks powerfully to the New Testament theme of spiritual new birth (Jn 3:3-8) and reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-20). The father's celebration is not for repentance alone, but for the restoration to the full status of sonship and the reunion of a lost child to his rightful place. The scene also subtly prepares the reader for the elder brother's reaction, providing him with all the necessary information, yet revealing his hardened heart through his subsequent anger and refusal to participate.

Examples:

• The celebration is not contingent on the son "earning" his way back or proving himself worthy; his safe return alone triggers the magnificent response, much like God's grace to repentant sinners.
• The fattened calf exemplifies that God's forgiveness and restoration are not minimal but abundantly lavish.