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Luke 15:14
ESV And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
NIV After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
NASB Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began doing without.
CSB After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.
NLT About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.
KJV And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

What does Luke 15:14 mean?

Jesus is telling the parable of the "prodigal" son. The term "prodigal" refers to wasteful, excessive spending. A son has dishonored his father by requesting the wealth expected to come from his father's death. He takes this money and then moves far away. He wants to live as if his father has died. He spends the money on prostitutes (Luke 15:30) and other pleasures which provide hate and death in the guise of love and life. He has rejected everything good and honorable his father has provided him (Luke 15:11–13).

In love, the father gave the son what he wanted and let him go, but the son cannot escape God. As David said, "If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,' even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you" (Psalm 139:11–12). At the very moment the boy comes to the end of his ability to fend for himself, God takes away the community's ability to help or even care.

We are short-sighted in our sin but God is patient. He is willing to let us fall and then make us fall further if that's what it will take to show us where we are. It doesn't have to come to such extremes. God is willing to accept our repentance at any point in our sin. However, we must be paying attention.
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