Luke 15 · Verse 20

Luke 15:20

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luke 15:20, King James Version

Luke 15:20 in other translations

BSBSo he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
WEB“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.
ASVAnd he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
YLT‘And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;
DARBYAnd he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.
BBEAnd he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
WebsterAnd he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

What does Luke 15:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. a great way off--Oh yes, when but the face is turned homeward, though as yet far, far away, our Father recognizes His own child in us, and bounds to meet us--not saying, Let him come to Me and sue for pardon first, but Himself taking the first step. fell on his neck and kissed him--What! In all his filth? Yes. In all his rags? Yes. In all his haggard, shattered wretchedness? Yes. "Our Father who art in heaven," is this Thy portraiture? It is even so (Jr 31:20). And because it is so, I wonder not that such incomparable teaching hath made the world new.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. He arose, and came. Was coming. But here is no indication of haste. He did not run, but came driven by his wants, and, as we may suppose, filled with shame, and even with some doubts whether his father would receive him.

A great way off. This is a beautiful description--the image of his father's happening to see him clad in rags, poor, and emaciated, and yet he recognized his son, and all the feelings of a father prompted him to go and embrace him.

Had compassion. Pitied him. Saw his condition--his poverty and his wretched appearance--and was moved with compassion and love.

And ran. This is opposed to the manner in which the son came. The beauty of the picture is greatly heightened by these circumstances. The son came slowly-- the father ran. The love and joy of the old man were so great that he hastened to meet him and welcome him to his home.

Fell on his neck. Threw his arms around his neck and embraced him.

And kissed him. This was a sign at once of affection and reconciliation. This must at once have dissipated every doubt of the son about the willingness of his father to forgive and receive him. A kiss is a sign of affection, 1Sam 10:1, Gen 29:13. This is evidently designed to denote the readiness of God to pity and pardon returning sinners. In this verse of inimitable beauty is contained the point of the parable, which was uttered by the Saviour to vindicate his own conduct in receiving sinners kindly. Who could blame this father for thus receiving his repenting son? Not even a Pharisee could blame him; and our Saviour thus showed them, so that they could not resist it, that God received returning sinners, and that it was right for him also to receive them and treat them with attention.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 And kissed him - Or, kissed him again and again; the proper import of καταεφιλησεν αυτον. The father thus showed his great tenderness towards him, and his great affection for him.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 15:17-24

Having viewed the prodigal in his abject state of misery, we are next to consider his recovery from it. This begins by his coming to himself. That is a turning point in the sinner's conversion. The Lord opens his eyes, and convinces him of sin; then he views himself and every object, in a different light from what he did before. Thus the convinced sinner perceives that the meanest servant of God is happier than he…

Read the full comment on Luke 15:17-24 →

Luke 15:20 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
ἀναστὰςanastashaving risen upG450
ἦλθενēlthenhe wentG2064
πρὸςprostoG4314
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέραpaterafatherG3962
ἑαυτοῦ.¶he'autouof himselfG1438
ἜτιEtiStillG2089
δὲdenowG1161
αὐτοῦautouheG846
μακρὰνmakranfarG3112
ἀπέχοντοςapechontosbeing distantG568
εἶδενeidenhe sawG1492
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
ὁhotheG3588
πατὴρpatērfatherG3962
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐσπλαγχνίσθη,esplagchnisthēwas moved with compassion,G4697
καὶkaiandG2532
δραμὼνdramōnhaving runG5143
ἐπέπεσενepepesenhe fellG1968
ἐπὶepiuponG1909
τὸνtontheG3588
τράχηλονtrachēlonneckG5137
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiandG2532
κατεφίλησενkatephilēsenhe kissedG2705
αὐτόν.autonhim.G846

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

Cross references for Luke 15:20

  • Psalms 103:10-13

    He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

  • Psalms 86:5

    For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

  • Psalms 86:15

    But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

  • Ephesians 2:13

    But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

  • Isaiah 49:15

    Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

  • Genesis 46:29

    And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

  • Deuteronomy 30:2-4

    And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

  • Job 33:27-28

    He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

  • Genesis 33:4

    And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

  • Isaiah 57:18

    I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

  • Jeremiah 31:20

    Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

  • Ephesians 2:17

    And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
But.
De 30:2-4; Job 33:27,28; Ps 86:5,15; 103:10-13; Isa 49:15; 55:6-9
Isa 57:18; Jer 31:20; Eze 16:6-8; Ho 11:8; Mic 7:18,19; Ac 2:39
Eph 2:13,17
and fell.
Ge 33:4; 45:14; 46:29; Ac 20:37

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

Context

  • Luke 15:19

    And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

  • Luke 15:20

    And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

  • Luke 15:21

    And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

Read all of Luke 15

Luke 15:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y levantándose, vino á su padre. Y como aun estuviese lejos, viólo su padre, y fué movido á misericordia, y corrió, y echóse sobre su cuello, y besóle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et se levant, il vint vers son père. Et comme il était encore loin, son père le vit et fut ému de compassion, et, courant à lui, se jeta à son cou et le couvrit de baisers.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er machte sich auf und ging zu seinem Vater. Als er aber noch fern war, sah ihn sein Vater und wurde innerlich bewegt und lief hin und fiel ihm um seinen Hals und küßte ihn sehr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et surgens venit ad patrem suum. Cum autem adhuc longe esset, vidit illum pater ipsius, et misericordia motus est, et accurrens cecidit super collum ejus, et osculatus est eum.