Luke 15 · Verse 13

Luke 15:13

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luke 15:13, King James Version

Luke 15:13 in other translations

BSBAfter a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
WEBNot many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
ASVAnd not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
YLT‘And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
DARBYAnd after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
BBEAnd not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
WebsterAnd not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

What does Luke 15:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. not many days--intoxicated with his new--found resources, and eager for the luxury of using them at Will. a far country--beyond all danger of interference from home. wasted, &c.--So long as it lasted, the inward monitor (Is 55:2) would be silenced (Is 9:10; 57:10; Am 4:6-10). riotous living--(Lu 15:30), "with harlots." Ah! but this reaches farther than the sensualist; for "in the deep symbolical language of Scripture fornication is the standing image of idolatry; they are in fact ever spoken of as one and the same sin, considered now in its fleshly, now in its spiritual aspect" (Jr 3:1-15; Eze 16:1-17:24) [Trench].

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. Gathered all together. Collected his property. If he had received flocks or grain, he sold them and converted them into money. As soon as this arrangement had been made he left his father's house.

Took his journey. Went, or travelled.

Into a far country. A country far off from his father's house. He went probably to trade or to seek his fortune, and in his wanderings came at last to this dissipated place, where his property was soon expended.

Wasted his substance. Spent his property.

In riotous living. Literally,

"Living without saving anything."

He lived extravagantly, and in the most dissolute company. Lk 15:30. By his wandering away we may understand that sinners wander far away from God; that they fall into dissolute and wicked company; and that their wandering so far off is the reason why they fall into such company, and are so soon and so easily destroyed.

(h) "famine" Amos 8:11,12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Not many days after - He probably hastened his departure for fear of the fine which he must have paid, and the reproach to which he must have been subjected, had the matter come before the civil magistrate. See above. Riotous living - Ζων ασωτως, in a course of life that led him to spend all: from α not, and σωω I save. And this we are informed, Luk 15:30, was among harlots; the readiest way in the world to exhaust the body, debase the mind, ruin the soul, and destroy the substance.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 15:11-16

The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts…

Read the full comment on Luke 15:11-16 →

Luke 15:13 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
μετ᾽met᾽afterG3326
οὐounotG3756
πολλὰςpollasmanyG4183
ἡμέραςhēmerasdaysG2250
συναγαγὼνsunagagōnhaving gathered togetherG4863
πάνταpantaall [things]G3956
ὁhotheG3588
νεώτεροςneōterosyoungerG3501
υἱὸςhuiossonG5207
ἀπεδήμησενapedēmēsenwent awayG589
εἰςeisintoG1519
χώρανchōrana countryG5561
μακρὰνmakrandistantG3117
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐκεῖekeithereG1563
διεσκόρπισενdieskorpisenhe wastedG1287
τὴνtēntheG3588
οὐσίανousianestateG3776
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
ζῶνzōnlivingG2198
ἀσώτως.asōtōsprodigally.G811

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

Cross references for Luke 15:13

  • Proverbs 21:17

    He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

  • Proverbs 29:3

    Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

  • Jeremiah 2:5

    Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

  • Proverbs 23:19-22

    Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

  • Luke 15:30

    But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

  • Proverbs 28:7

    Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

  • Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

    Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

  • Luke 16:19

    There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

  • Luke 16:1

    And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

  • Proverbs 6:26

    For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

  • Romans 13:13-14

    Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

  • Job 21:13-15

    They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and took.
2Ch 33:1-10; Job 21:13-15; 22:17,18; Ps 10:4-6; 73:27; Pr 27:8
Isa 1:4; 30:11; Jer 2:5,13,17-19,31; Mic 6:3; Eph 2:13,17
wasted.
30; 16:1,19; Pr 5:8-14; 6:26; 18:9; 21:17,20; 23:19-22; 28:7; 29:3
Ec 11:9,10; Isa 22:13; 56:12; Am 6:3-7; Ro 13:13,14; 1Pe 4:3,4
2Pe 2:13

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

Context

  • Luke 15:12

    And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

  • Luke 15:13

    And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

  • Luke 15:14

    And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

Read all of Luke 15

Luke 15:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y no muchos días después, juntándolo todo el hijo menor, partió lejos á una provincia apartada; y allí desperdició su hacienda viviendo perdidamente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et peu de jours après, le plus jeune fils, ayant tout ramassé, s’en alla dehors en un pays éloigné; et là il dissipa son bien en vivant dans la débauche.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nach nicht vielen Tagen brachte der jüngere Sohn alles zusammen und reiste weg in ein fernes Land, und daselbst vergeudete er sein Vermögen, indem er ausschweifend lebte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et non post multos dies, congregatis omnibus, adolescentior filius peregre profectus est in regionem longinquam, et ibi dissipavit substantiam suam vivendo luxuriose.