Luke 15:7 (ASV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

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

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

Luke 15:7 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.

Luke 15:8 Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?

Luke 15:9 And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "even", "shall", "heaven", "over", "sinner", "repenteth", and "than". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "even" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "And when he cometh home he calleth..." into verse 8's "Or what woman having ten pieces of...", so "even" and "shall" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

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