Luke 15:7
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Jesus tells three parables in Luke 15 -- the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son -- in response to religious leaders who criticized Him for receiving sinners and eating with them.
What Does Luke 15:7 Mean?
Jesus is saying that heaven throws a celebration when even one wandering person turns back to God. He has just told the parable of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find one lost sheep, and now He draws out the meaning. The point is not that the ninety-nine are unloved, but that recovery stirs a particular joy -- the relief of finding what seemed gone for good.
The phrase "just persons, which need no repentance" carries a gentle edge. Jesus is speaking to scribes and Pharisees who grumbled that He welcomed sinners, people confident they needed no turning. He holds up a mirror: heaven's joy is not reserved for the self-assured, but pours out over the one who admits the need to come home. "Repenteth" describes a real change of mind and direction, a returning rather than a mere regret. By tying joy to repentance, Jesus reframes what God values most -- not the appearance of having never strayed, but the honest movement back toward the Father. The verse invites every reader to see themselves as the one worth seeking, and to know that their turning is met not with reluctance but with celebration in the very presence of God.
In the Original Language
The word translated "repenteth" is metanoeo, meaning to change one's mind and turn around. "Joy" renders chara, a deep gladness rather than mere pleasure.
Cross References
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
- Luke 15:10
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”
- Ezekiel 18:23
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
- 2 Peter 3:9
Application
Your turning back to God is never a small or grudging matter to Him; it sets off rejoicing in heaven. Do not let shame keep you from the homeward step.
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