Luke 15:9 kjv

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Luke 15:9 nkjv

And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!'

Luke 15:9 niv

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'

Luke 15:9 esv

And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'

Luke 15:9 nlt

And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.'

Luke 15 verses

Luke 15 9 Meaning

Luke 15:9 details the intense joy and communal celebration of a woman upon finding a lost silver coin, a drachma, after a diligent search. This immediate and public rejoicing serves as an earthly analogy for the great delight in heaven when a single sinner repents and returns to God. The parable emphasizes God's passionate search for the lost, the immeasurable value of each individual soul in His eyes, and the universal, celebratory response to their salvation, contrasting with human judgment.

Luke 15 9 Context

Luke chapter 15 records three parables of "lost and found"—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Jesus delivered these parables directly in response to the grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for associating with and eating with tax collectors and "sinners." The entire chapter serves as a profound explanation and justification for God's divine outreach to the marginalized and the spiritually adrift. Luke 15:9, specifically part of the parable of the lost coin, illustrates the value God places on a single individual, depicting the diligence of the search and the subsequent exuberant, communal celebration that results from finding what was lost, which in spiritual terms, is a sinner's repentance and return to fellowship with God. Culturally, a lost drachma, often equivalent to a day's wage (denarius), was a significant amount and could have been part of a woman's cherished dowry or bridal headdress, making its loss deeply personal and its recovery a cause for genuine joy and community sharing among women. Homes were typically dark, making a lamp and diligent sweeping essential for finding a small, dropped coin.

Luke 15 9 Word analysis

• And when she hath found it (Greek: Καὶ εὑροῦσα, kai heurousa): "She hath found it" indicates the completed act of diligent searching. The Aorist participle emphasizes the decisive, immediate result of her continuous efforts from the previous verse (Luke 15:8). It highlights that the finding is not accidental but the outcome of active pursuit.
• she calleth (Greek: συγκαλεῖ, sygkalei): Means "to call together" or "to assemble." This is an active summoning, indicating a deliberate gathering for a shared purpose, signifying that this joy is meant to be public and communal.
• her friends (Greek: τὰς φίλας, tas philas): Refers specifically to female friends. In that culture, women shared close community networks, particularly among neighbors. This specifies the social context of her rejoicing.
• and her neighbours together (Greek: καὶ τὰς γείτονας, kai tas geitonas): Reinforces the inclusive, community-wide nature of the celebration. The use of feminine plural further emphasizes the setting among women. This communal aspect stands in stark contrast to the self-imposed isolation and judgmental attitude of the Pharisees.
• saying (Greek: λέγουσα, legousa): The present participle emphasizes her direct, joyful declaration.
• Rejoice with me (Greek: Συγχάρητέ μοι, Syncharēte moi): A direct command and an earnest invitation to share in her specific joy. Syncharēte literally means "rejoice together" or "share in joy," highlighting the desire for corporate celebration rather than private delight. This mirrors the universal joy that heaven feels upon repentance.
• for I have found (Greek: ὅτι εὗρον, hoti heuron): "For" introduces the reason for her joy. "I have found" uses the Aorist tense, highlighting the definite and accomplished act of discovery that immediately leads to the invitation to rejoice. It is a triumphant declaration of success.
• the piece (Greek: τὴν δραχμήν, tēn drachmḗn): Refers to the "drachma," a silver coin. It was often equated to a Roman denarius, a common day's wage for a laborer, making its loss financially significant. Some scholars suggest it could have been part of a significant dowry or a cherished ornament worn by married women (e.g., as part of a ten-coin headdress), making its personal value even greater.
• which I had lost (Greek: ἣν ἀπώλεσα, hēn apōlesa): The Greek Aorist tense here conveys the state of being lost at some point in the past, establishing the former condition of the coin that is now joyfully recovered. It underlines the transition from a state of being "lost" to being "found."

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together...": This sequence of discovery leading immediately to a public, communal announcement is crucial. It underscores that spiritual salvation is not a private matter only but triggers universal rejoicing in the Kingdom of God. The immediate invitation to her social network emphasizes the desire to share profound joy.
• "Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.": This powerful declaration conveys the cause and effect: the command to rejoice is intrinsically linked to the definitive recovery of the lost item. It encapsulates the very heart of the parable: the immense joy derived from restoration. The woman's personal joy in "my" lost item is a reflection of God's personal joy over "His" lost creation.

Luke 15 9 Bonus section

• Polemics against contemporary beliefs: The parable, and indeed all three parables in Luke 15, stands as a direct challenge to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes. Their grumbling over Jesus eating with "sinners" showed a fundamental misunderstanding of God's heart. Jesus demonstrates that God celebrates the repentance of sinners, whereas the religious leaders looked down upon them. This directly countered the prevailing Jewish thought that primarily valued association with the ritually pure and condemned contact with "sinners."
• Escalation of Value and Celebration: While not directly in verse 9, understanding its place in the progression of parables (lost sheep, lost coin, lost son) is vital. Each successive parable presents an increasingly valuable item and often an increasingly elaborate or public celebration. The "one of one hundred" sheep, then "one of ten" coins, and finally "one of two" sons. The coin's celebration involves neighbors and friends, the son's involves a fatted calf and lavish feasting, subtly showing the intensifying divine joy with each "lost" individual who returns.
• Feminine Imagery of God: The portrayal of God through a woman's diligent search with a lamp and broom highlights a less common, yet equally powerful, feminine facet of God's character in scripture – patiently and meticulously searching until the lost is found, using all necessary means within the domestic sphere. This complements the masculine imagery of the shepherd and the father.

Luke 15 9 Commentary

Luke 15:9 offers a vivid portrait of divine joy, articulated through a common domestic scene. The woman's diligent search (mentioned in Luke 15:8) and subsequent exuberant invitation to "Rejoice with me" upon finding the drachma directly illustrates God's active pursuit of those who are spiritually lost and His overwhelming delight in their return. The "lost coin" represents the individual sinner who, though valuable, may be unaware of their lostness or passive in their return, requiring diligent seeking by God (through Christ and His Church). The communal rejoicing emphasizes that the restoration of a soul is a glorious event that resonates beyond the individual, impacting heaven itself. This parable profoundly counters the exclusionary attitude of the religious leaders, revealing a God who prioritizes grace and inclusion over rigid religious conformity, finding ultimate joy not in the already righteous but in the recovery of those who were far off.