LUKE 15:4 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “If you had a hundred sheep and one of them went missing, which of you wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine there in the wilderness and go and search for the missing sheep until you found it?

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT “Which man among you, having 100 sheep and having lost one of them, does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it?

UST “Suppose that one of you had 100 sheep and you lost one of them. Certainly you would leave the 99 other sheep in the wilderness and go search for the lost sheep until you had found it.

BSB “What man among you, [if] he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, {does} not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the [one] that is lost, until he finds it?

BLB "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety nine in the open field, and go after the one having been lost, until he finds it?

AICNT “Which man among you, having a hundred sheep and [losing one of them,][fn] does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

15:4, losing one of them: Absent from Latin(i).

OEB ‘Who among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

WEBBE “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?

LSV “What man of you having one hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, does not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, until he may find it?

FBV “Imagine a man who had a hundred sheep lost one of them. Wouldn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and search for the one that's lost until he finds it?

TCNT “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

T4T “Suppose that one of you had 100 sheep. If one of them were lost, ◄you (sg) would certainly leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it./would you not leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it?► [RHQ]

LEB “What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it?

BBE What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?

Moff "Which of you with a hundred sheep, if he loses one, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one till he finds it?

Wymth "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?

ASV What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

DRA What man of you that hath an hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it?

YLT 'What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?

Drby What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

RV What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
(What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth/does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? )

SLT What man of you, having one hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, leaves not the ninety-nine in the desert, and goes for the one lost, till he find it.

Wbstr What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he loseth one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he findeth it?

KJB-1769 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?
( What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth/does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? )

KJB-1611 What man of you hauing an hundred sheepe, if he loose one of them, doth not leaue the ninety and nine in the wildernesse, and goe after that which is lost, vntill he find it?
(What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he loose one of them, doth/does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?)

Bshps What man of you, hauyng an hundred sheepe, if he loose one of them, doth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernesse, and go after that which is lost, vntyll he fynde it?
(What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he loose one of them, doth/does not leave ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?)

Gnva What man of you hauing an hundreth sheepe, if hee lose one of them, doeth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernesse, and goe after that which is lost, vntill he finde it?
(What man of you having an hundredth sheep, if he lose one of them, doth/does not leave ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? )

Cvdl What man is he amonge you, that hath an hundreth shepe, and yf he loose one of the, that leaueth not the nyne and nyentye in the wyldernesse, and goeth after that which is lost tyll he fynde it?
(What man is he among you, that hath/has an hundredth sheep, and if he loose one of them, that leaveth/leaves not the nine and nyentye in the wilderness, and goeth/goes after that which is lost till he find it?)

TNT What man of you havynge an hundred shepe yf he loose one of thee doth not leve nynty and nyne in the wyldernes and goo after that which is loost vntyll he fynde him?
(What man of you having an hundred sheep if he loose one of thee/you doth/does not leave nynty and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find him? )

Wycl and seide, What man of you that hath an hundrith scheep, and if he hath lost oon of hem, whethir he leeueth not nynti and nyne in desert, and goith to it that perischide, til he fynde it?
(and said, What man of you that hath/has an hundrith sheep, and if he hath/has lost one of hem, whether he leaveth/leaves not ninety and nine in desert, and goeth/goes to it that perished, till he find it?)

Luth Welcher Mensch ist unter euch, der hundert Schafe hat, und so er der eines verlieret, der nicht lasse die neunundneunzig in der Wüste und hingehe nach dem verloren, bis daß er‘s finde?
(Which person is under you, the/of_the hundred sheep has, and so he the/of_the one/a verlieret, the/of_the not let the nineundneunzig in the/of_the desert and go_there after to_him lost, until that he's find?)

ClVg Quis ex vobis homo, qui habet centum oves, et si perdiderit unam ex illis, nonne dimittit nonaginta novem in deserto, et vadit ad illam quæ perierat, donec inveniat eam?[fn]
(Who from to_you(pl) human, who/which has hundred sheep, and when/but_if will_lose one from to_them, isn't_it dismisses ninety nine in/into/on in_the_desert, and goes to her which had_perished, until find her? )

15.4 Qui ex vobis, etc. Didiceras in superioribus abnegare negligentiam, vitare arrogantiam, devotionem sumere, sæcularibus occupationibus non teneri, caduca non præferre perpetuis. Sed quia fragilitas humana firmum nequit in tanto sæculi lubrico tenere vestigium, etiam adversus errorem remedium ibi medicus demonstrat, scilicet, judex spem veniæ non negat. Centum oves. Quia centenarius numerus perfectus est. Deus centum oves, id est perfectum numerum habuit, cum angelorum et hominum substantiam creavit; sed una periit, quando homo pascua vitæ peccando dereliquit: ergo quia rationalis creaturæ numerus pereunte homine erat diminutus, quærit in terra hominem ut summa integretur. Nonne dimittit. Quasi dicat: Murmuratis, quia peccatores recipio, sed ego non veni nisi ut aberrantes colligam, sicut unusquisque vestrum aberrantem ovem reducere laborat.

15.4 Who from to_you(pl), etc. Didiceras in/into/on to_the_above abnegare negligence, avoid arrogance, devotionm to_take, secularbus occupationibus not/no teneri, caduca not/no beforeferre perpetuals. But because fragilitas human firmum nequit in/into/on so_much of_the_world/of_the_ages lubrico to_hold vestigium, also against error remedy there medicus demonstrates, namely, the_judge hope I_cameæ not/no denies. Hundred sheep. Because centenarius number perfect it_is. God hundred sheep, that it_is perfect the_number had, when/with of_messengers/angels and of_men substance created; but together perished, when human pasture of_life by_sinning left_behind: therefore because rationals creatures number pereunte man was diminutus, seeks in/into/on earth/land man as sum/total integretur. Isn't_it dismisses. As_if let_him_say: Murmuratis, because sinners recipio, but I not/no I_came except as aberrantes neckgam, like each_one/everybody of_you aberrantem sheep reducere works.

UGNT τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν, ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν, οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς, ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό?
(tis anthrōpos ex humōn, eⱪōn hekaton probata kai apolesas ex autōn hen, ou kataleipei ta enenaʸkonta ennea en taʸ eraʸmōi, kai poreuetai epi to apolōlos, heōs heuraʸ auto?)

SBL-GNT Τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ⸀ἀπολέσας ⸂ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν⸃ οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό;
(Tis anthrōpos ex humōn eⱪōn hekaton probata kai ⸀apolesas ⸂ex autōn hen⸃ ou kataleipei ta enenaʸkonta ennea en taʸ eraʸmōi kai poreuetai epi to apolōlos heōs heuraʸ auto;)

RP-GNT Τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ ἀπολέσας ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλός, ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό;
(Tis anthrōpos ex humōn eⱪōn hekaton probata, kai apolesas hen ex autōn, ou kataleipei ta enenaʸkonta ennea en taʸ eraʸmōi, kai poreuetai epi to apolōlos, heōs heuraʸ auto;)

TC-GNT Τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ ἀπολέσας [fn]ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐ καταλείπει τὰ [fn]ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλός, [fn]ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό;
(Tis anthrōpos ex humōn eⱪōn hekaton probata, kai apolesas hen ex autōn, ou kataleipei ta enenaʸkonta ennea en taʸ eraʸmōi, kai poreuetai epi to apolōlos, heōs heuraʸ auto; )

15:4 εν εξ αυτων ¦ εξ αυτων εν CT

15:4 ενενηκοντα ¦ εννενηκοντα TR

15:4 εως ¦ εως ου ANT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 15:1–7: Jesus told a parable about a man looking for his lost sheep

In Luke 15 Jesus welcomed sinful people, and many listened to him. However, the Pharisees criticized Jesus for welcoming people like that. Then Jesus told the three parables in this chapter. Each parable tells about something that was lost and the joy of the one who found it. The things that were lost represent sinful people. They need help to be restored to God. The parables illustrate that God feels great joy when even one sinful person repents and is restored to a good relationship with him. In the Notes each parable will be described in a separate section.

The parable in this section is about a sheep that went away from its shepherd. The sheep did not know how to find the shepherd again. When the shepherd noticed that this one sheep was missing, he searched for it diligently until he found it. He then invited his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him that he had found the lost sheep. Another heading for this section is:

The Lost Sheep (GW)

A shepherd was happy to find his lost sheep

There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 18:12–14. However, the context and some of the details are different.

15:4

In Greek, 15:4 is a single rhetorical question. For example:

If one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is missing until he finds it? (REB)

Jesus used this question to illustrate what he wanted to teach the people about God’s attitude toward sinners. The question emphasizes that any of them would surely search for one of their sheep that got lost. In some languages it is not natural to use a long rhetorical question to express this. Other ways to translate it are:

As a combination of a statement or command with a rhetorical question. For example:
Suppose you have a hundred sheep and one gets lost. What will you do? You will leave ninety-nine that are safe and go to look for the one that is lost until you find it.
As two or more rhetorical questions. For example:
If any of you has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won’t you leave the ninety-nine in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? (CEV)
As two or more statements. For example:
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep but loses one of them. You will certainly leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the open field and go out and look for the lost sheep until you find it.

Translate this rhetorical question in a way that will emphasize that any person among them would search for his lost sheep.

What man among you, if he: Notice that the BSB uses “among you” and “he” to refer to the listeners. The CEV uses “one of you,” and “you.” Another option is to use forms like “someone” and “he” throughout. For example:

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… (NLT)

Use a natural way in your language to refer to the person in this illustration.

15:4a

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them,

“If you^(plur) had one hundred sheep and one became lost,
“If one of you^(plur) owns one hundred sheep and one goes astray,
“What would someone do if he owned a hundred sheep and just one wandered away and became lost?

if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them: In this context the owner of the sheep loses a sheep when the sheep wanders off by itself and becomes lost. The phrase does not imply here that the sheep is stolen or dies. For example:

one of them gets lost (CEV)

sheep: The word sheep refers to domestic animals that are raised for meat and for wool. In some languages there may not be a word for “sheep.” If that is true in your language, you may borrow the word for “sheep” and indicate its meaning with a general word such as “herd/flock” or “animals.” For example:

a hundred animals called sheep

herd/flock of one hundred sheep

If people are not familiar with sheep in your area, it is suggested that you insert a picture in your translation.

15:4b

does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture

what would you^(plur) do? You would leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture,
think about what you would do. You^(plur) would leave the other ninety-nine sheep to keep feeding in the grassland,
He would leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the field/place where they were safely eating grass

does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture: The Greek word that the BSB translates as the pasture is sometimes translated as “wilderness.” Some English versions, such as the RSV, translate it that way. In this context it probably refers specifically to a pasture area where the sheep could eat grass and other plants. This was a normal place for sheep to stay.

It was common for shepherds to have enclosures in such pasture areas where the sheep could be safe at night. The shepherd was not being cruel or foolish to leave the ninety-nine sheep in such a place. Use a term in your language that describes a good place for sheep to eat and rest. It is best to avoid a word that implies a dangerous place. For example:

grazing in the pasture (GW)

15:4c

and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

and go and look for the lost sheep until you^(plur) found it, wouldn’t you? Of course you would do that!
and you^(plur) would go and search for that one lost sheep until you found it.
while he went and searched for that one missing sheep.

go after the one that is lost, until he finds it: The phrase go after means here “go to look/search for.” The shepherd would keep looking for the sheep until he found it. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

look for (GW)

go to search for (NLT)

go out and look for (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν, ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν, οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς, ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατόν πρόβατα καί ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἕν οὒ καταλείπει τά ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καί πορεύεται ἐπί τό ἀπολωλός ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό)

Jesus is using this question as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [If one of you had 100 sheep and lost one of them, he would certainly leave the other 99 sheep in the wilderness and go looking for the sheep that had wandered off until he found it.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν, ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν, οὐ καταλείπει

Jesus is offering the Pharisees and scribes an illustration that involves a hypothetical situation. Alternate translation: [Suppose one of you had 100 sheep and you lost one of them. Then would you not certainly leave]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν, ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα & ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό

Since Jesus begins the parable by asking, “Which man among you,” some languages would continue the parable in the second person. Alternate translation: [Which one of you, if you had 100 sheep … until you found it]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν

This could mean: (1) while all of the Pharisees and scribes who are grumbling are probably men, Jesus is describing what any person, man or woman, would likely do in this situation, and he is telling the parable for the whole crowd to hear. So the term man here may be generic. Alternate translation: [Which person among you] (2) since Jesus speaks in his next parable of a woman doing something, he may be using a man and a woman in paired examples to offer a comprehensive teaching about the kingdom of God. In that case, the term man here would not be generic. Alternate translation: [Which of you men]

Parallel LUKE 15:4

Section 15:1–7: Jesus told a parable about a man looking for his lost sheep

15:4

15:4a

15:4b

15:4c