(合用 可用 隨便用)。

譯本是參照 AFV (A Faithful Version 希臘文) 2009

11. Then He said, “A certain man had two sons;

12. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me that portion of the property which falls to me.’ And he divided to them his living.

13. And not many days after, the younger son gathered everything together and departed into a distant country. And there he wasted all his substance, living in debauchery.

14. But after he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

15. Then he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the husks that the swine were eating, but no one gave anything to him.

17. And when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have an abundance of bread, and I am dying of hunger?

18. I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;

19. And I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired servants.” ‘

20. And he arose and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and embraced him, and ardently kissed him.

21. And his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22. But the father said to his servant, ‘Bring out a robe, the best robe, and clothe him, and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet;

23. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.

24. For this my son was dead, but is alive again; and he was lost, but is found.’ And they began to be merry.

25. But his elder son was in a field; and when he was coming back, and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

26. And after calling one of the servants nearby, he inquired what these things might be.

27. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him safe and well.’

28. Then he was angry and would not go in. As a result, his father came out and pleaded with him.

29. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Behold, I have served you so many years, and never did I transgress your commandment; yet you never gave me a kid, so that I might make merry with my friends;

30. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

31. Then he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

32. But it was fitting to make merry and rejoice because your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, but is found.’ “ (A Faithful Version)

11. 耶穌用另一個比喻：某人有兩個兒子。

12. 小兒子對父親說：爸，把我該得的家產給我。為父的就給他。

13. 過了不久。小兒子就收拾行囊，離家遠去。只是生活放蕩，錢財很快花光。

14. 正當一無所有之際，適逢大飢荒，窮得無計可施。

15. 就把自己，給城中一位當地人士當僱工，他被分派到田倉去餵豬。

16. 餓到一個地步，連豬餿都想食，只是無人理會提供飲食。

17. 這時，似乎有點覺悟，心想：我父親僱工多，糧食充足，為何因餓致死？

18. 不如起程，回到我父親身邊，最多向他道歉：父親，我知道得罪了天，更得罪了你。

19. 我不配稱為你兒子，從今起就當你的僱工吧。

20. 想通了，就起來，回父親那裡。還遠，父親就看到，心情澎湃，衝前並抱得緊緊，親嘴連連。

21. 兒子愧疚的說：爸，我得罪天，更得罪你，不配稱為你的兒子。

22. 父親笑對僕人，吩咐拿上好的袍子，給他穿上，戴上家族的戒指，穿上鞋。

23. 把肥牛犢宰了，為他的回來乾杯。

24. 慶祝我兒子死而復生，失而復得。父子倆都同感快樂。

25. 大兒子這時在田作工，在快回到家候，離遠便聽到作樂跳舞的聲音。

26. 於是叫僕人來，問究竟怎麼回事。

27. 僕人回應：你兄弟回來了。你老父見他平安歸來，就宰牛慶祝。

28. 這大哥一聽之下，氣就上來，不肯進屋。為父的出來勸導。

29. 這大哥心有不平地回答：我為你工作這麼多年，一次都沒有違背過你，和朋友交誼歡聚，連一隻羊都不曾給我。

30. 你看，這個不肖兒用盡一生的生計花在妓女身上，回來，你倒給他宰牛。

31. 為父的說：兒啊，你常與我同在，實在這一切都是你的。

32. 只是你兄弟死而復生，失而又得，是值得去設宴高興的事。

上回說若人願意悔改是值得高興的事。什麼人回轉值得高興？

這個比喻想說什麼？

這比喻的對象似乎是接續對那些心高氣傲的法利賽人和文士說的一番口話，因為當中願意聽耶穌道理，就表示不悅。按文理是稅吏和一些被視為犯罪的人。這二類一是有職業一是個人身份，都是猶太人？可能，也許更為廣泛的，例如有撒馬利亞人、羅馬人、及許多不同地域的外邦人。他們因為心儀於耶穌說的道理，而這些法利賽人和文士就不高興。這不高興是基於什麼緣由？也許就是猶太人認為神是他們獨有的信仰中心，又或者它今是正統的守護者。

如果是這樣的背景，小兒子就是些屬於非正宗猶太教的人，大兒子就是一直從亞伯拉罕這個族系而出的猶太人。這個推論可以從31-32節：只是你兄弟死而復生，失而又得，是值得去設宴高興的事。當中的含意就有這個意思。

按上述的理解，當指世間所有人都是神創造這家人。猶太人一直是承受亞伯拉罕的因信而得應許之民，31節形容他們是常與神同在，神的保守承諾常與他們同在，只是小兒子，自己出走，現因耶穌的道理，願意回轉，就像今日的信眾，遍佈世界每一個角落，也因為相信，也就有了亞伯拉罕之後的繼承，因信稱義。

假使這段描述那些同是猶太人，上述的分析就不合用。這另外的解釋，下面網址詳述得非常精彩：

這位牧者的解釋： https://godsbless.ing/commentary/luke/luke_15_11-32/ rev michael johnson 的解釋很到位。他對路加這作者有這樣的描述：路加，[路加福音]和[使徒行傳]的作者，被認為是一位非猶太人的醫生，也是使徒保羅的親密同伴。他的醫生背景顯示他受過良好的教育，注重細節，並具備仔細調查和記錄耶穌事工和早期教會事件所需的技能。他以非猶太人的身份，為自己的著作帶來了獨特的視角，強調普世救恩的主題，以及將所有人納入上帝的救贖計劃。 路加寫 福音書和使徒行傳 的動機，旨在有序而準確地記錄耶穌基督的生平、教導、死亡和復活，以及福音的傳播和早期基督教會的發展。他力求讓讀者確信基督教信仰的可信性和可靠性，無論是從發生的歷史事件或這些事件對信徒的神學意義來看。儘管面臨迫害和反對，路加仍然堅定不移地致力於保存耶穌和早期教會的故事，這源於他對基督教社區的深厚信仰和虔誠奉獻。