Luke 15 · Verse 1

Luke 15:1

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
Luke 15:1, King James Version

Luke 15:1 in other translations

BSBNow all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
WEBNow all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
ASVNow all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.
YLTAnd all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,
DARBYAnd all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
BBENow all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
WebsterThen drew near to him all the publicans and sinners to hear him.

What does Luke 15:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Lu 15:1-32. Publicans and Sinners Welcomed by Christ--Three Parables to Explain This.

1. drew near ... all the publicans and sinners, &c.--drawn around Him by the extraordinary adaptation of His teaching to their case, who, till He appeared--at least His forerunner--might well say, "No man careth for my soul."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 1. Publicans and sinners. Mt 9:10.

(a) "drew near unto him" Mt 9:10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Publicans and sinners draw near to hear our Lord, at which the Pharisees are offended, Luk 15:1, Luk 15:2. Christ vindicates his conduct in receiving them by the parable of the lost sheep, Luk 15:3-7. The parable of the lost piece of money, Luk 15:8-10; and the affecting parable of the prodigal son, vv. 11-32. Verse 1 Publicans and sinners - Τελωναι και ἁμαρτωλοι, tax-gatherers and heathens; persons who neither believed in Christ nor in Moses. See the note on Luk 7:36. Concerning the tax-gatherers, see the note on Mat 5:46.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 15:1-10
The parable of the lost sheep is very applicable to the great work of man's redemption. The lost sheep represents the sinner as departed from God, and exposed to certain ruin if not brought back to him, yet not desirous to return. Christ is earnest in bringing sinners home. In the parable of the lost piece of silver, that which is lost, is one piece, of small value compared with the rest. Yet the woman seeks diligently till she finds it. This represents the various means and methods God makes use of to bring lost souls home to himself, and the Saviour's joy on their return to him. How careful then should we be that our repentance is unto salvation!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 15:1 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἮσανĒsanWereG1510
δὲdenowG1161
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
ἐγγίζοντεςengizontesdrawing nearG1448
πάντεςpantesallG3956
οἱhoitheG3588
τελῶναιtelōnaitax collectorsG5057
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
ἁμαρτωλοὶhamartōloisinnersG268
ἀκούεινakoueinto hearG191
αὐτοῦ.autouHim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 15:1

  • 1 Timothy 1:15

    This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

  • Matthew 9:10-13

    And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Luke 5:29-32

    And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Matthew 21:28-31

    But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

  • Ezekiel 18:27

    Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

  • Luke 7:29

    And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

  • Romans 5:20

    Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

  • Luke 13:30

    And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The parable of the lost sheep;
8 of the piece of silver;
11 of the prodigal son.

5:29-32; 7:29; 13:30; Eze 18:27; Mt 9:10-13; 21:28-31; Ro 5:20
1Ti 1:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 15:1

    Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

  • Luke 15:2

    And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Read all of Luke 15

Luke 15:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y SE llegaban á él todos los publicanos y pecadores á oirle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tous les publicains et les pécheurs s’approchaient de lui pour l’entendre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es nahten aber zu ihm alle Zöllner und Sünder, ihn zu hören;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erant autem appropinquantes ei publicani, et peccatores ut audirent illum.