Luke 15:4 Meaning and Explanation
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus asks which of them, owning a hundred sheep and losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine and search until the lost one is found.
What Does Luke 15:4 Mean?
The first story begins as a question: "What man of you...?" Jesus invites his critics to stand in a shepherd's sandals. One sheep in a hundred has strayed; the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the one — not until dark, not until it is convenient, but "until he find it."
The kingdom's arithmetic is strange and glorious: the one stray outweighs the ninety-nine safe. And the search does not wait for the sheep to come home, because lost sheep cannot find their way back. Isaiah had said it of us all: "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus claims the shepherd's place in the picture — he is the seeker who does not stop until the finding.
Luke 15:4 in the Original Language
apollymi (ἀπόλλυμι), 'lose' -- to lose or to ruin; the same Greek word describes the perishing whom Christ came to seek and to save.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 15:4
What does Luke 15:4 mean?
Jesus asks which of them, owning a hundred sheep and losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine and search until the lost one is found.