Luke 15:29 (WEB)

Passage

But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

Nearby Context

Luke 15:27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’

Luke 15:28 But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him.

Luke 15:29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

Luke 15:30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

Luke 15:31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "answered", "father", "behold", "years", "served", "never", "disobeyed", and "commandment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "answered" and "father", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 28's "But he was angry and would not..." into verse 30's "But when this your son came who...", so "answered" and "father" 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 "answered" and "father" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.