Luke 15:25

Easy-to-Read Version

"The older son had been out in the field. When he came near the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

Parallel Translations

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The elder brother was in the felde and when he cam and drewe nye to ye housse he herde minstrelcy and daunsynge

Hebrew Names Version
"Now his elder son was in the field. As he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

International Standard Version
"Now his older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing.

New American Standard Bible
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

New Century Version
"The older son was in the field, and as he came closer to the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

Update Bible Version
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Amplified Bible
"Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

English Standard Version
"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

World English Bible
"Now his elder son was in the field. As he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field. And as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But his eldere sone was in the feeld; and whanne he cam, and neiyede to the hous, he herde a symfonye and a croude.

English Revised Version
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Berean Standard Bible
Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Contemporary English Version
The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing.

American Standard Version
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Bible in Basic English
Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Now his older son was in the field. As he came close to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Darby Translation
And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Etheridge Translation
But he, the elder son, was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard the voice of music;

Murdock Translation
But his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard the sound of the singing of many.

King James Version (1611)
Now his elder sonne was in the field, and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musicke & dauncing,

New Living Translation
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

New Life Bible
"The older son was out in the field. As he was coming near the house, he heard music and dancing.

New Revised Standard
"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe the elder brother was in the fielde, and when he came and drewe neere to the house, he heard melodie, and dauncing,

George Lamsa Translation
But his elder son was in the field; and as he came near the house, he heard the voice of the singing of many.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But his elder son was in a field; and, as, in coming, he drew near unto the house, he heard music and dancing, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now his elder son was in the field and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Revised Standard Version
"Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The elder brother was in the fielde: and when he came and drewe nye to the house, he hearde minstrelsie & daunsing,

Good News Translation
"In the meantime the older son was out in the field. On his way back, when he came close to the house, he heard the music and dancing.

Christian Standard Bible®
“Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

King James Version
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

Lexham English Bible
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Literal Translation
But the older son was in a field. And having come, as he drew near to the house, he heard music and dances.

Young's Literal Translation
`And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the elder sonne was in the felde. And whan he came, and drewe nye to the house, he herde ye mynstrelsye and daunsynge,

Mace New Testament (1729)
In the mean time his elder son was in the country. at his return, when he came near home, he heard the musick and dancing:

THE MESSAGE
"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.'

New English Translation
"Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

New King James Version
"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"In the meantime, the older son was out in the pastures doctoring yearlings. When he got back to the house, there was music and dancing in the barn.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me now the part of your property that I am supposed to receive someday.' So the father divided his wealth between his two sons. ¹³ "A few days later the younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country, and there he wasted his money living like a fool. ¹⁴ After he spent everything he had, there was a terrible famine throughout the country. He was hungry and needed money. ¹⁵ So he went and got a job with one of the people who lived there. The man sent him into the fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ "The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, ‘All my father's hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat. ¹⁸ I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.' ²⁰ So he left and went to his father. "While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and felt sorry for him. So he ran to him and hugged and kissed him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

his: Luke 15:11, Luke 15:12

he: Luke 7:32, Exodus 15:20, 2 Samuel 6:14, Psalms 30:11, Psalms 126:1, Psalms 149:3, Psalms 150:4, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Jeremiah 31:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:5 - now his Matthew 11:17 - piped Acts 13:45 - they

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now his elder son was in the field,.... By "the elder son" is meant, not angels, as has been observed on Luke 15:11 nor truly converted persons, of some standing in the church; for though these may be said to be elder than young converts, and are more solid and settled, yet they are not ignorant of spiritual mirth; nor of the Gospel sound; nor are they angry at the conversion of sinners; nor will they ever speak in such commendation of themselves; or say that they never had a kid, much less a fatted calf, as this elder brother does: nor the Jews in general, in distinction from the Gentiles, as has been remarked in the above place: the Scribes and Pharisees in particular are meant, in opposition to the publicans and sinners: now these are said to be "in the field"; in the world, which is comparable to an uncultivated field; being overrun with the briers and thorns of sin, and sinful men; where beasts of prey inhabit, and who are fitly signified by lions, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword; and out of which the garden of the church is taken and separated, and fenced by distinguishing grace: now this elder brother, the Scribe and Pharisee, notwithstanding all his sobriety and morality, was in a state of nature and unregeneracy, in the same condition he came into the world; and was under the influence of the god of the world; and was taken up with the things of the world, the honours, riches, and profits of it; and though he was in the Jewish church state, yet was in the field of the world; the ceremonies of that state, were the rudiments of the world; and the sanctuary in it, was a worldly sanctuary; and the chief men in it, were the princes of the world: and this elder son was in the field at work, working for life: to work is right, when men work from a principle of grace, in the name, faith, and strength of Christ, to the glory of God and religion, and their own and others good; and ascribe all they do to the grace of God, and acknowledge their own unworthiness; but to work, in order to obtain righteousness, life, and salvation, proceeds from wretched ignorance, and is an instance of the pride and vanity of human nature; and is not only a vain and fruitless attempt, but a piece of wickedness, it being a denial of Christ, as God's salvation: now while the younger son, the publicans and sinners, were received and entertained in the house and kingdom of God their Father, the elder son, the Scribe and Pharisee, were without in the field, labouring to obtain life by doing;

and as he came and drew nigh to the house. The Ethiopic version reads, "to the border of the city": he "came" out of the field, the world; not that he was come out from the world, and had left the company of the men of it, or parted with the sins and lusts of it; but he came from his labour, having done his day's work, and the task of duty he had set himself; and was now going for his hire, for what he imagined he had merited: and

drew nigh to the house; for he did not go in, Luke 15:28 he only made some advances to it, and took some steps towards entrance into it; namely, into a visible church; he came to hear the word, as the Scribes and Pharisees did; and to attend on ordinances, particularly at the administration of the ordinance of baptism, and seemed desirous of submitting to it in John's time; but never came to Christ in a spiritual way; nor entered into the kingdom of heaven, the Gospel dispensation; and did all that could be, to hinder others, especially publicans and sinners;

he heard music and dancing. The Syriac; Persic, and Ethiopic versions, leave out "dancing": the former only reads, "the voice of the singing of many", and the next, "the voice of singing"; and the last, "pipes and songs"; by "music" is meant not the instrumental music used in the Old Testament church; nor vocal singing in the new; but the preaching of the Gospel by the ministers of it, the servants, in Luke 15:22 setting forth the love of God, the righteousness of Christ, peace, pardon, and salvation by him; in which, as in music, there is a distinction of sounds, the voice of Christ in the Gospel, and the several doctrines of it, are distinctly pronounced, discerned, and understood: and there is also, as in music, an harmony and agreement; the Gospel does not give an uncertain sound, nor contradict itself; it is not yea and nay: and, like music, it is delightful and charming; it is a sound of love in all the three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit; of free grace, and rich mercy; of liberty, reconciliation, forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life: and as music, has a powerful and attractive virtue in it; so the Gospel is mighty and efficacious in the hand of the Spirit of God to quicken even dead sinners, to draw them to Christ, to allure, charm, and comfort them: "dancing" may design those expressions of joy, which are delivered by young converts at hearing the Gospel, as by the three thousand, in Acts 2:41 by the inhabitants of Samaria, Acts 8:6 and by the jailor and his household, Acts 16:34 and by many others: now all this the elder brother, the Scribes and Pharisees, "heard"; not so as to know the true meaning of it, as appears from the following verse; nor as to approve of it; or so as to feel the power, and enjoy the sweetness of it; nor as to practise what was heard; only externally hearing, they heard, but understood not, their eyes were blinded, and their hearts were hardened.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In the field - At work. This eldest son is designed to represent the Pharisees who had found fault with the Saviour. Their conduct is likened to that of this envious and unnatural brother.

Music and dancing - Dancing was not uncommon among the Hebrews, and was used on various occasions. Thus Miriam celebrated the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt in dances as well as songs, Exodus 15:20. David danced before the ark, 2 Samuel 6:14. It was common at Jewish feasts Judges 21:19-21 and in public triumphs Judges 11:34, and at all seasons of mirth and rejoicings, Psalms 30:11; Jeremiah 31:4, Jeremiah 31:13. It was also used in religious services by the idolaters Exodus 32:19, and also by the Jews, at times, in their religious services, Psalms 149:3; Psalms 150:4. In this case it was an expression of rejoicing. Our Lord expresses no opinion about its “propriety.” He simply states “the fact,” nor was there occasion for comment on it. His “mentioning it” cannot be pleaded for its lawfulness or propriety, any more than his mentioning the vice of the younger son, or the wickedness of the Pharisees, can be pleaded to justify their conduct. It is an expressive image, used in accordance with the known customs of the country, to express joy. It is farther to be remarked, that if the example of persons in Scripture be pleaded for dancing, it can be “only for just such dances as they practiced” - for sacred or triumphal occasions.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. His elder son — Meaning probably persons of a regular moral life, who needed no repentance in comparison of the prodigal already described.

In the field — Attending the concerns of the farm.

He heard music — συμφωνιας, a number of sounds mingled together, as in a concert.

Dancing. — χορων. But Le Clerc denies that the word means dancing at all, as it properly means a choir of singers. The symphony mentioned before may mean the musical instruments which accompanied. the choirs of singers.