After the analogies of the lost sheep and lost coin, Jesus continues the analogy of the prodigal son.
Luke 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luke 15:23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
And bring the calf, the fattened one, sacrifice it, and, eating, we might make merry.
This verse is mostly made of uncommon words for Jesus to use. Most are found only in this story or Luke's other parables. The word "fatted" is a Greek adjective Jesus uses only in this story. It means "fed up", and "fatted". It is proceeded by an article so it acts like a noun, "the fatted one". It is used as a noun and appears after "calf", "the fattened one". The word "calf" means "calf" but it also refers to a "boy" or a "girl”.
The Greek verb translated as "kill" means to "offer by burning”, "sacrifice", "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice". The sense is "sacrifice”, that is, to kill and burn on an altar but not completely. The animals that people sacrificed on an altar were eaten afterward, not destroyed.
Every celebration should be a thanksgiving to the Divine.
And bring hither(IW) the (MWthe) fatted calf, and kill it; and let(IW) us eat(WF), and(IW) (WFshould) be merry:
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "hither" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "fatted" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "let" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "eating”.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form -- This verb is in the form of possibility, a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" before the verb.
(MWand) Bring the (MWthe) fattened calf and kill it. (MWand) Le(IW) ’s have(IW) a feast(WF) and(IW)(WFshould) celebrate(WV).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "fatted" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "let" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "have" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a noun but a participle, a verbal adjective, "eating”.
- IW - Inserted Word-- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form -- This verb is in the form of possibility, a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" before the verb.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The verb here is translated as active but it is passive.
And-- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
bring -- The verb translated as "bring" means "to bear", "to carry”, "to bring”, "to produce” and "to fetch”. It is the root word of a lot of other verbs Jesus uses commonly, including the words that mean "bring together", "bring to” and "bring through”.
hither -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the”, which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this”, "that”, "these”, "those") than the English "the". See this article for more.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the”, which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this”, "that”, "these” and "those"). See this article for more.
fatted -- "Fatted" is a Greek adjective Jesus uses only in this story. It means "fed up", and "fatted". It is used as a noun and appears after "calf", "the fattened one".
calf, -- "Calf" is a Greek noun that Jesus only uses in this story. It means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
kill -- The Greek verb translated as "kill" means to "offer by burning”, "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice”. The sense is "sacrifice", that is, to kill and burn on an altar but not completely.
it; -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
let -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
us -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
eat, -- (WF) The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat. "It means "to eat”, "to eat up”, and "to devour”. It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up”. This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "eating”.
and -- (IW) These is no "and" here. It is added because the previous participle was changed from an adjective form to an active verb in translation.
missing "should" or "might"-- (WF) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur.
be merry: -- The Greek verb translated as "be merry" means "cheer", "gladden", and in the passive, "make merry" and "enjoy oneself". This is passive. It is used only in parables by Luke, most commonly in the parable of the prodigal son.
missing "And " -- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
Bring -- The verb translated as "bring" means "to bear”, "to carry”, "to bring”, "to produce” and "to fetch”. It is the root word of a lot of other verbs Jesus uses commonly, including the words that mean "bring together", "bring to” and "bring through."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this”, "that”, "these”, "those") than the English "the”. See this article for more.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the”, which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this,”,"that", "these" and "those"). See this article for more.
fatted -- "Fatted" is a Greek adjective Jesus uses only in this story. It means "fed up", and "fatted". It is used as a noun and appears after "calf", "the fattened one".
calf, -- "Calf" is a Greek noun that Jesus only uses in this story. It means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis.
kill -- The Greek verb translated as "kill" means to "offer by burning", "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate”[with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice”. The sense is "sacrifice”, that is, to kill and burn on an altar but not completely.
it; -- There is no Greek pronoun here, but Greek does not need pronouns when the object can be assumed from the context. In English, they are added for the subject-verb-object form of our sentences.
missing "and " -- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and”, but it also is used to add emphasis.
Let -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
's -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
have -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
a feast, -- (WF) The word translated as "eat" is one of the two common words used to mean "eat". It means "to eat", "to eat up” and "to devour”, It also means to "fret" as we say "to eat up”. This is not a noun but a participle, a verbal adjective, "eating”.
and -- (IW) These is no "and" here. It is added because the previous participle was changed from an adjective form to an active verb in translation.
missing "should" or "might"-- (WF) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur.
celebrate: -- (WV) The Greek verb translated as "celebrate" means "cheer", "gladden", and in the passive, "make merry" and "enjoy oneself". This is passive. It is used only in parables by Luke, most commonly in the parable of the prodigal son. The verb here is translated as active but it is passive.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and” or "also”. After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also”. Also used to give emphasis, "even”, "also" and "just".
φέρετε [16 verses] (verb 2nd pl pres imperat act) "Bring" is phero, which means "to bear", "to carry”, "to bring”, "to produce", and "to fetch”.
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones”.
μόσχον [3 verses](noun sg masc acc) "Calf" is moschos, which means "calf", "young bull", "any young animal", and metaphorically, "a boy", or in feminine, "a girl".
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones”.
σιτευτόν, [3 verses](adj sg masc acc) "Fatted" is siteutos, which means "fed up", and "fatted".
θύσατε [5 verses] (verb 2nd pl pres imperat act) "Kill" is thyro, which means to "offer by burning”, "sacrifice”, "slay”, "slaughter”, "celebrate” [with sacrifices, offerings], "the flesh of the sacrifice”.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and" or "also". After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also”. Also used to give emphasis, "even”, "also” and "just”.
φαγόντες [20 verses] (part pl aor act masc nom) "Let us eat" is phago which is a form of the word, phagein, which means “to eat”, "to eat up", and "to devour”.
εὐφρανθῶμεν, [7 verses](verb 1st pl aor subj pass) "Be merry" is euphraino, which means "cheer", "gladden", and in the passive, "make merry", "enjoy oneself".