Luke 15:2
What does Luke 15:2 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 15:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 15:2 means
The Pharisees and scribes, the religious and legal experts of the day, openly grumbled about Jesus' practice of eating with sinners. Sharing a meal in that culture signified close fellowship and acceptance, which they believed Jesus, as a purported holy man, should not extend to such people. Their complaint reveals a self-righteous attitude, believing that associating with sinners would defile one, rather than seeing it as an opportunity for ministry. Their murmuring directly provokes the parables Jesus tells in response.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying--This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
Context
This verse presents the critical reaction to Jesus' actions described in verse 1. It establishes the conflict and the audience Jesus is trying to reach with His parables. The Pharisees' and scribes' judgmental attitude is the specific target of Jesus' teaching, as He will use the subsequent parables to expose the error in their thinking and reveal God's true heart.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 9:11
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?
- Luke 7:34
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
- Luke 15:29
But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
- Luke 5:30
And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners?
- Luke 7:39
Now when the Pharisee that had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.
- 1 Corinthians 5:9
I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators;
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