Luke 15:1 (ASV)

Passage

Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.

Nearby Context

Luke 15:1 Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.

Luke 15:2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luke 15:3 And he spake unto them this parable, saying,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "publicans", "sinners", "drawing", "near", and "hear". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "publicans" and "sinners", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The next verse adds "And both the Pharisees and the scribes...", so "publicans" and "sinners" should be read forward into that movement. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "publicans" and "sinners" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.