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Luke 15:7
I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
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Interpretation

Luke 15:7 shows a joy in heaven that is lived within limits and longings—see "over" and "who". Give joy in heaven by steady, quiet faithfulness—steady the will with prayer.

Context

The setting is Luke—gospel narrative, highlighting joy in heaven. Within ch. 15, a small unit frames the emphasis. Watch the terms “over” and “who”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Luke to Luke the physician (companion of Paul). Modern scholarship on Luke sees Anonymous; author also wrote Acts; polished Greek historian‑theologian.. Date: AD 80–90. Luke appears framed for Broader Greco‑Roman audience.. Mercy and meals mark messianic mission. A careful historian-theologian frames a universal horizon.

More details
Traditional:Luke the physician (companion of Paul)
Modern scholarship:Anonymous; author also wrote Acts; polished Greek historian‑theologian.
Date:AD 80–90
Audience:Broader Greco‑Roman audience.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in 5,800+ manuscripts, surpassing other ancient works in manuscript count. Early papyri from the 2nd-3rd centuries like P46, P66, P75 provide text within about 100-150 years of its writing. Major uncial codices (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, 4th century) contain complete or near-complete texts. The Byzantine text family represents the majority of later manuscripts. Textual variants exist but are mostly minor: word order, articles, spelling. No central Christian doctrine depends on any disputed text. Modern critical editions compare all manuscript families to determine the most likely original reading.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46