November 18th, 2025
by Alex Hanson
by Alex Hanson
In this blog post, we take a meaningful look at the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15—one of Scripture’s most beautiful reminders of God’s heart for every single person. Inside, you’ll find helpful background on the book of Luke, several translations of the passage, and insights gathered from trusted commentaries. And when you’re ready to reflect personally, we’ve included a simple, guided format to help you slow down, engage the text, and let God speak to you through His Word.
The Gospel of Luke Details:
Author: Though it does not identify its author, many scholars believe that Luke, the travel companion and co-worker with the Apostle Paul, is the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Time: Between 60 and 80 CE
Purpose of Writing: To show how the story of Jesus fulfills the story of God and Israel and the whole world.
Time: Between 60 and 80 CE
Purpose of Writing: To show how the story of Jesus fulfills the story of God and Israel and the whole world.
The Text: Luke 15:1-7
The Bible was first written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, and every version we read today comes from those original languages. Comparing different translations of the same text can be very beneficial in understanding different details.
NIV
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
ESV
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
NLT
1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Commentaries
Matthew Guzik
V1 – His strong challenge did not drive people away; it attracted them to Jesus.
V3 – The religious leaders and scribes complained about how Jesus met with sinners and tax collectors (v1).
V4 – the flock (100) and the lost sheep (1)
V5 – When Jesus finds His people, He also carries them.
V6 – The emphasis in this parable is on the joy of finding the lost.
V3 – The religious leaders and scribes complained about how Jesus met with sinners and tax collectors (v1).
- The religious leaders of Jesus’ day divided humanity into two classes: the unclean and the righteous. They decided to live, as much as possible, in complete separation from the unclean. Some rabbis of Jesus day took this idea so seriously that they refused to teach the unclean God’s word (Morris).
V4 – the flock (100) and the lost sheep (1)
- A flock of 100 sheep would have been considered medium size flock. An average herd ran from 20 to 200, while a large flock would have had more than 300 in numbers.
- “No creature strays more easily than a sheep …” (Clarke)
- The lost sheep would never save himself, or find the shepherd himself. If the shepherd did not take action, the sheep was doomed.
- Many rabbis of that time believed that God received the sinner who came to Him the right way.
- Jesus taught that God actively seeks out the lost. He searches after them.
- God finds the sinner more than the sinner does find God.
V5 – When Jesus finds His people, He also carries them.
- Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
V6 – The emphasis in this parable is on the joy of finding the lost.
- This was the error of the Pharisees and scribes who complained. They were not joyful when tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus.
Chuck Smith
Tax collectors: the outcast of that society, one of the most hated persons in the community. They were considered by the Jews to be traitors who collaborates with the enemy (quisling). – think of Matthew
The Pharisees and the scribes gathered to find fault. They were looking for things by which they might accuse Jesus. (v2: they thought by saying he did these things that they were condemning Him, but they were actually proclaiming a glorious gospel.) They can’t just simply rejoice, but instead have sour apple comment or remark about sinners coming to Jesus.
- The tax collectors were attracted to Jesus as were the sinners, because He had a message of hope for them.
The Pharisees and the scribes gathered to find fault. They were looking for things by which they might accuse Jesus. (v2: they thought by saying he did these things that they were condemning Him, but they were actually proclaiming a glorious gospel.) They can’t just simply rejoice, but instead have sour apple comment or remark about sinners coming to Jesus.
Charles Spurgeon
The Approachableness of Jesus:
“The most depraved and despised classes of society formed an inner ring of hearers around our Lord. I gather from this that he was a most approachable person, that he was not of repulsive manners, but that he courted human confidence and was willing that men should commune with him.”
“… he was never more at home than when speaking to the common people, and teaching them concerning the kingdom of God.”
Our Great Shepherd Finding the Sheep:
“When He came after you and after me, we ran from Him but He pursued us—we hid from Him but He discovered us—He had almost grasped us but so long as we eluded Him He still pursued with love unwearied until He found us.”
“The most depraved and despised classes of society formed an inner ring of hearers around our Lord. I gather from this that he was a most approachable person, that he was not of repulsive manners, but that he courted human confidence and was willing that men should commune with him.”
“… he was never more at home than when speaking to the common people, and teaching them concerning the kingdom of God.”
Our Great Shepherd Finding the Sheep:
“When He came after you and after me, we ran from Him but He pursued us—we hid from Him but He discovered us—He had almost grasped us but so long as we eluded Him He still pursued with love unwearied until He found us.”
H.B. Charles Jr.
The purposeful neglect of the Shepherd:
- The number of the sheep teaches us that God loves us personally and individually.
- The nature of the sheep teaches us that we cannot get back to God on our own.
The Shepherd’s Joyful Discovery
- Consider what the shepherd does not do when he finds the missing sheep: he doesn't get angry.
- Consider what the shepherd does when he finds the missing sheep: he rejoices.
- The number of the sheep teaches us that God loves us personally and individually.
- The nature of the sheep teaches us that we cannot get back to God on our own.
The Shepherd’s Joyful Discovery
- Consider what the shepherd does not do when he finds the missing sheep: he doesn't get angry.
- Consider what the shepherd does when he finds the missing sheep: he rejoices.
Read through the parable on your own. Use this guide to dig deeper into this scripture:
Be Still: As you read, write out the Bible verse or verses that stick out to you most.
Abide: What truth can you learn? Are there any principles or commands present? What is the overall theme of the text?
Adore: What does the text reveal about God and His character?
Apply: How does this Scripture apply to your life today? How does the truth of God’s Word change your daily perspective? How can you live differently in light of this truth?
Pray: Pray God’s Word back to Him. Turn these thoughts into prayer. Ask the Lord to show you how to meditate on and apply this Scripture to your life.
Be Still: As you read, write out the Bible verse or verses that stick out to you most.
Abide: What truth can you learn? Are there any principles or commands present? What is the overall theme of the text?
Adore: What does the text reveal about God and His character?
Apply: How does this Scripture apply to your life today? How does the truth of God’s Word change your daily perspective? How can you live differently in light of this truth?
Pray: Pray God’s Word back to Him. Turn these thoughts into prayer. Ask the Lord to show you how to meditate on and apply this Scripture to your life.
Cover photo by Greg Wilson on Unsplash
© Copyright 2024. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New international Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
All Commentaries and Notes pulled from Blue Letter Bible.
© Copyright 2024. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New international Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
All Commentaries and Notes pulled from Blue Letter Bible.
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