Luke 15:14

When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.

World English Bible

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Other translations

WEBBE

When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.

BSB

After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.

KJV

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

ASV

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.

BBE

And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.

Original Greek

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δαπανήσαντος dapanēsantos When was spending G1159 δὲ de however G1161 αὐτοῦ autou he G846 πάντα panta everything G3956 ἐγένετο egeneto there arose G1096 λιμὸς limos a famine G3042 ἰσχυρὰ ischura severe G2478 κατὰ kata throughout G2596 τὴν tēn the G3588 χώραν chōran country G5561 ἐκείνην ekeinēn that G1565 καὶ kai and G2532 αὐτὸς autos he himself G846 ἤρξατο ērxato began G757 ὑστερεῖσθαι hustereisthai to be in need G5302

The early church

As it follows, And when he had spent all, there arose a great famine in that land. The famine is the want of the word of truth. It follows, And he began to be in want. Fitly did he begin to be in want who abandoned the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, and the unfathomableness of the heavenly riches.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

For it follows, And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country. For what is more afar off than to depart from one's self, to be separate not by country but by habits. For he who severs himself from Christ is an exile from his country, and a citizen of this world. Fitly then does he waste his patrimony who departs from the Church. Now there came to pass in that country a famine not of food but of good works and virtues, which is the more wretched fast. For he who departs from the word of God is hungry, because man does not live on bread alone, but on every word of God. (Matt. 4:4.) And he who departs from his treasures is in want.

Ambrose of Milan · d. 397Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 11–16

The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be, while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly of sinners, and that which ruins them, is, being content in their life-time to receive their good things. Our first parents ruined themselves and all their race, by a foolish ambition to be independent, and this is at the bottom of sinners' persisting in their sin. We may all discern some features of our own characters in that of the prodigal son. A sinful state is of departure and distance from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners misemploy their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time and all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinners want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raiment for them, nor any provision for hereafter. A sinful state is a vile, slavish state. The business of the devil's servants is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that is no better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constant discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the senses will not even satisfy our bodies; but what are they to precious souls! A sinful state is a state which cannot look for relief from any creature. In vain do we cry to the world and to the flesh; they have that which will poison a soul, but have nothing to give which will feed and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is a lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy prevent not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few are sensible of their own state and character!

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 15 →

Cross-references

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.