The intensity of the search is striking: lighting a lamp, sweeping the entire house, and seeking diligently reveals that God's pursuit of the lost isn't passive, but an active, thorough, and determined effort. This isn't just a casual glance; it's a relentless search, suggesting the immense value God places on each individual.
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus tells this parable about a lost coin in response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling that he welcomes sinners and eats with them. It follows the parable of the lost sheep and illustrates the immense value God places on finding those who are lost, emphasizing the joy in heaven when a sinner repents.
Imagine losing something precious – not just any item, but something small yet significant. This parable zooms in on a single coin, emphasizing its immense value.
The Priceless Soul
In this parable, the woman has ten silver coins, called drachmas. While the exact monetary value might seem small to us today (around 7-8 pence each, or roughly $1.50 total), the significance is huge. This wasn't just pocket change; it represented a substantial portion of her wealth, perhaps even her entire savings.
Losing something valuable requires more than a casual glance. This woman doesn't just hope it will turn up; she takes determined action.
The Undoing of Sin's Darkness
The woman's response is methodical and thorough:
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The 'house' can even represent the church or our communities, where someone precious to God might be lost within the very place they should feel secure. The search involves a deep cleansing and an unwavering pursuit, showing God's active engagement in bringing the lost home.
Finding what was lost isn't just a relief; in God's economy, it's a cause for immense celebration. This parable hints at a joy that transcends mere recovery.
Heaven's Celebration
The climax of the parable isn't just the finding, but the reaction to it. The woman calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her.
Understand the original words
drachmē · Greek Noun
A drachma, roughly equivalent to a day's wage; in this parable, it represents something of significant personal value that is precious to the owner.
zēteō · Greek Verb
An intensive, persistent, and intentional pursuit to locate or recover something valuable, often used to describe God’s active pursuit of the lost.
angelos · Greek Noun
Spiritual beings who serve God in His heavenly presence; they act as witnesses to God's redemptive work and share in the divine joy over the salvation of a person.
This passage immediately precedes the parable of the lost coin and uses the similar imagery of a lost sheep to illustrate God's joy over a repentant sinner.
Matthew 18:12-14Jesus uses the same analogy of the lost sheep in Matthew, emphasizing God's desire that none of these 'little ones' should be lost and the shepherd's persistent search.
Psalm 119:169-176This psalm expresses the cry of a soul lost in sin, pleading for God's guidance and deliverance, mirroring the diligent search for what is lost.
Ezekiel 34:11-16God, as the Shepherd, declares His intention to seek out and rescue His lost sheep, underscoring His active pursuit of those who have strayed.
Proverbs 8:1-11Wisdom is personified as calling out in public places, seeking to be found, much like the woman diligently searching for her lost coin, highlighting the preciousness of what is sought.
vincentLuke 15:8: "Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?"
Pieces of silver (δραχμὰς)Used by Luke only. A coin worth about eighteen cents, commonly with the image of an owl, a tortoise, or a head of Pallas. As a weight, 65.5 grains. A common weight in dispensing medicines and writing prescriptions. Wyc., transcribing the Greek word, dragmes. Tynd., grotes.
calvinLuke 15:1-10: "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him."
- For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12. What think you? If a man shall have a hundred sheep, and one of them shall go astray, doth he not leave the ninety-nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which had gone astray? 13. And if he happen to find it, verily, I say to you, he rejoiceth more on account of that sheep than on account of the ninety-nine which had gone astray. 14. So it…
The intensity of the search is striking: lighting a lamp, sweeping the entire house, and seeking diligently reveals that God's pursuit of the lost isn't passive, but an active, thorough, and determined effort. This isn't just a casual glance; it's a relentless search, suggesting the immense value God places on each individual.
Jesus tells this parable about a lost coin in response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling that he welcomes sinners and eats with them. It follows the parable of the lost sheep and illustrates the immense value God places on finding those who are lost, emphasizing the joy in heaven when a sinner repents.
Jesus tells this parable about a lost coin in response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling that he welcomes sinners and eats with them. It follows the parable of the lost sheep and illustrates the immense value God places on finding those who are lost, emphasizing the joy in heaven when a sinner repents.
"“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice wit…" — The intensity of the search is striking: lighting a lamp, sweeping the entire house, and seeking diligently reveals that God's pursuit of the lost isn't passive, but an active, thorough, and determ…
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Last reviewed October 2026
