Luke 15:21The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
The setting
Same estate. The son had rehearsed this speech during his long journey home, probably for days. His clothes are rags, he smells like pigs...
The emotion here: passionate love for outcasts while religious leaders scowl
The original word
hamartano (ἥμαρτον) — to miss the mark, like an arrow that doesn't hit the target
Why it matters
Saying 'I am no longer worthy to be called your son' was requesting to become a hired servant—the lowest position on the estate
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 15:21
He practiced this speech, but he never gets to finish it—his father interrupts with celebration
Common misconceptionPeople think confession earns God's forgiveness. But the father was already running before the son said a word—confession is admitting what God already knows and loves us anyway.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 15:21
Bible Genome reading
Luke 15:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 15:21 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include confession, unworthiness. Notable phrases: I have sinned; no longer worthy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Luke 15:21 mean to you, today?
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