Luke 15:7

 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.

a. NLT: In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: 'I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth…”

a. [I] say [Strong: 3004. lego leg'-o: a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

b. [unto] you [Strong: 5213. humin hoo-min' : irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

c. that [Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee: neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

d. likewise [Strong: 3779 * houto; or (before a vowel houtos] [Strong: adverb from 3778; in this way (referring to what precedes or follows):--after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more, on this fashion(-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.]

e. joy [Strong: 5479. chara khar-ah' from 5463; cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight:--gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).]

f. shall be [Strong: 2071. esomai es'-om-ahee: future of 1510; will be:--shall (should) be (have), (shall) come (to pass), X may have, X fall, what would follow, X live long, X sojourn.]

g. in [Strong: 1722. en en: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

h. [Strong: 3588. [to] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [to] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

i. heaven [Strong: 3772. ouranos oo-ran-os': perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity):--air, heaven(-ly), sky.]

j. over [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee': a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

k. one [Strong: 1520. heis hice;  (including the neuter (etc.) hen)] [Strong: a primary numeral; one:--a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]

l. sinner [Strong: 268. hamartolos ham-ar-to-los' from 264; sinful, i.e. a sinner:--sinful, sinner.]

n. [that] repenteth [Strong: 3340. metanoeo met-an-o-eh'-o from 3326 and 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):--repent.]

1). Here we see God’s attitude towards the lost. In this passage we see there is joy in heaven over a sinner that repents.

a). Luke 15:4-7  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?

15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

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.

2). There is a common phrase in Christianity that says when someone gets saved that the angels rejoice in heaven. The phrase is erroneously based on Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Notice it does not say that the angels are rejoicing, they may rejoice but that is not what it is saying. It says there is joy in their presence. In other words there is someone else doing the rejoicing. Forgive me for splitting theological hairs here, but at this time (when Jesus said this) in the plan of redemption, there were no humans in heaven. The only other being who would be rejoicing is God.All of the righteous dead, those who died righteous under the Old Covenant, who eventually go to heaven when Christ ascended (Ephesians 4:8), were in the heart of the earth in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:19-31). Now that Christ has ascended into heaven there are humans in heaven, millions of them who have died and during their lives either lived faithfully righteous under the Old Covenant or got born again in the last 2000 years. So now I am fully persuaded that when a sinner gets born again that there is rejoicing in heaven by the redeemed people in heaven, but again, there is rejoicing by God. In light of that there is a verse in Zephaniah 3 that chronologically takes place during the Millennial Reign of Christ when he reunites with the Jewish people. The Person of the Godhead referred to in this verse is Christ Jesus.

a). Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

(1) The words declare that the LORD God will save and he will rejoice over us because we are saved! But that is not all.

(2) It also says that the LORD God will “joy over thee with singing”.

(3)  joy [Strong: 1523 giyl gheel or (by permutation) guwl {gool}; a primitive root; properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:--be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice.] [Gesenius: to go in a circle, to dance, to rejoice]

3). In light of this verse, Christ Jesus, after he saves us, he rejoices over us spinning around and rejoicing! Glory to God.

2. “…more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

a. more than [Strong: 2228. e ay: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

b. over [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee': a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

c. ninety and nine [Strong: 1768. ennenekontaennea en-nen-ay-kon-tah-en-neh'-ah: from a (tenth) multiple of 1767 and 1767 itself; ninety-nine:--ninety and nine.]

d. just persons [Strong: 1342. dikaios dik'-ah-yos: from 1349; equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):--just, meet, right(-eous).]

e. which [Strong: 3748. hostis hos'-tis, including the feminine hetis, and the neuter ho,ti]; from 3739 and 5100; which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same:--X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever).]

f. need [Strong: 2192. echo ekh'-o, including an alternate form scheo] (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

g. [Strong: 5532. chreia khri'-ah: from the base of 5530 or 5534; employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:--business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.]

h. no [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk, and (before an aspirate) ouch] [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

i. repentance [Strong: 3341. metanoia met-an'-oy-ah: from 3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another's) decision):--repentance.]