Luke 15:6

comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks to his disciples during the Parable of the Lost Sheep, describing the shepherd’s actions immediately after retrieving the wandering animal. He addresses his audience while illustrating divine pursuit through a human analogy.

The words — The Greek συγκαλεῖ (sugkalei) literally means "he calls together," and φιλους (philous) denotes "friends," emphasizing a deliberate gathering of close associates. This lexical choice highlights the intentional summoning of witnesses to the recovery.

The thread — The motif of gathering witnesses to a recovery echoes in Luke 15:24, where the father commands a celebration upon the prodigal son’s return, and parallels the shepherd’s joy in Luke 15:7. Both passages frame communal rejoicing as the appropriate response to restoration.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that restoration requires communal acknowledgment rather than private relief. It asks the reader to align their response with the declared joy over recovered life instead of maintaining isolated indifference.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Psalms 119:176 I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.
1 Peter 2:25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
John 3:29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
John 15:14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
Isaiah 66:10 Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her. Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her,
Luke 2:13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.