independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The grumbling of the Pharisees 15:1–2
vv. 1–2 — the outcasts draw near; the pious mutter
1
Ἦσαν δὲ αὐτῷ ἐγγίζοντες πάντες οἱ τελῶναι καὶ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶindependent — periphrastic imperfect Ἦσαν ἐγγίζοντες — the habitual gathering that occasions all three parables
ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ.purpose — infinitive of purpose — they come to listen, not to spy
2
καὶ διεγόγγυζον οἵ τε Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς λέγοντεςindependent — iterative imperfect διεγόγγυζον — the wilderness murmur-word (Exod 16; Num 14) turned on Jesus
ὅτι Οὗτος ἁμαρτωλοὺς προσδέχεταιcontent — ὅτι recitativum; contemptuous Οὗτος — 'this fellow'; the charge the chapter answers
καὶ συνεσθίει αὐτοῖς.content — table-fellowship as the scandal — customary presents: this is his practice
The lost sheep 15:3–7
vv. 3–6 — the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine
3
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην λέγων·independent — the speech-frame carrying vv. 4–7 — parable, not rebuttal, answers the grumbling
4
Τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶνcontent — the suspended interrogative subject — a 'which of you?' expecting universal assent
ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβαταparticipial — the modest flock — one of a hundred still matters
καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓνparticipial — ἀπόλλυμι — the chapter's keyword sounded: sheep, coin, son
οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳcontent — the question's verb resumes the suspended Τίς ἄνθρωπος; οὐ expects 'yes'
καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸςcontent — τὸ ἀπολωλός — intensive perfect: the settled state of lostness, until found
ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό;conditional — trailing ἕως + subjunctive (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the search ends only in finding
5
καὶ εὑρὼν ἐπιτίθησιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους αὐτοῦcontent — preposed εὑρών kept with its verb; gnomic present — carried home, not driven
χαίρων,participial — manner participle — the joy-word χαίρω that saturates all three parables
6
καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκον συγκαλεῖ τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτοναςcontent — the recovery overflows into summons — joy must be shared to be joy
λέγων αὐτοῖς·participial — speech participle opening the refrain
Συγχάρητέ μοι,content — the shared-joy imperative — repeated word for word by the woman (v. 9)
ὅτι εὗρον τὸ πρόβατόν μου τὸ ἀπολωλός.cause — found/lost side by side — the antithesis vv. 24 and 32 will seal
v. 7 — the application: heaven's arithmetic of joy
7
λέγω ὑμῖνcontent — the solemn formula turning story into verdict
ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοιςcontent — comparative ἢ without a fronted 'more' — Semitic; 'in heaven' a reverent name for God's own joy
οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.relative — qualitative οἵτινες — 'such as feel no need': the edge aimed at v. 2's grumblers
The lost coin 15:8–10
vv. 8–9 — the woman and the lamp: the same search, indoors
8
Ἢ τίς γυνὴ δραχμὰς ἔχουσα δέκα,independent — Ἢ pairs the parables as one question; suspended subject with its ἔχουσα kept in line — the speech continues, restarting the column
ἐὰν ἀπολέσῃ δραχμὴν μίαν,conditional — third-class protasis leaning forward on οὐχὶ ἅπτει — ἀπόλλυμι again; a drachma ≈ a day's wage
οὐχὶ ἅπτει λύχνονindependent — emphatic οὐχί expecting assent; a windowless peasant house needs the lamp by day
καὶ σαροῖ τὴν οἰκίανindependent — the second of three gnomic presents — the search made methodical
καὶ ζητεῖ ἐπιμελῶςindependent — ἐπιμελῶς — the diligence of the seeking God figured in a woman
ἕως οὗ εὕρῃ;conditional — trailing ἕως οὗ (typed cnd) — the same until-found clause as v. 4
9
καὶ εὑροῦσα συγκαλεῖ τὰς φίλας καὶ γείτοναςindependent — preposed εὑροῦσα kept with its verb; the guest-list turns feminine — τὰς φίλας
λέγουσα·participial — speech participle — the refrain returns
Συγχάρητέ μοι,content — verbatim from v. 6 — the deliberate parallel: recovery means shared joy
ὅτι εὗρον τὴν δραχμὴνcause — εὗρον matching the shepherd's — the finding is the ground of the feast
ἣν ἀπώλεσα.relative — she owns the losing — ἀπώλεσα in the first person
v. 10 — the application: joy before the angels
10
οὕτως, λέγω ὑμῖν, γίνεται χαρὰ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι.independent — λέγω ὑμῖν parenthetical this time; 'before the angels' — God's own delight, reverently veiled, matching v. 7
The prodigal son and the elder brother 15:11–32
vv. 11–16 — the younger son: demand, departure, destitution
11
Εἶπεν δέ·independent — the barest of frames — one Εἶπεν carries the whole double parable, vv. 11–32
Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχεν δύο υἱούς.content — δύο υἱούς — both sons announced: the story will not end at v. 24
12
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ νεώτερος αὐτῶν τῷ πατρί·content — story-internal speech frame — the narrative catena runs coordinate under the v. 11 Εἶπεν
Πάτερ, δός μοι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας.content — the shocking demand — the portion of a father as good as dead; Πάτερ, the address both sons will use
ὁ δὲ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὸν βίον.content — no protest — the father grants the breach; βίος, 'living,' returns in the elder's accusation (v. 30)
13
καὶ μετ' οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας συναγαγὼν πάντα ὁ νεώτερος υἱὸς ἀπεδήμησεν εἰς χώραν μακράν,content — preposed συναγαγών kept in line — assets liquidated; the 'far country' images the estrangement
καὶ ἐκεῖ διεσκόρπισεν τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦcontent — διασκορπίζω — the estate scattered to the winds
ζῶν ἀσώτως.participial — manner participle; ἀσώτως ('unsavingly') — the source of 'prodigal': profligate, not yet the elder's lurid gloss
14
δαπανήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἰσχυρὰ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην,content — genitive absolute kept in line — the turning of fortune: purse empty, then the land fails too
καὶ αὐτὸς ἤρξατο ὑστερεῖσθαι.content — ingressive ἤρξατο — the descent begins
15
καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐκολλήθη ἑνὶ τῶν πολιτῶν τῆς χώρας ἐκείνης,content — ἐκολλήθη — 'glued himself': a clinging, desperate dependence on a Gentile master
καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτοῦcontent — subject shifts to the citizen — the son now at another's disposal
βόσκειν χοίρους·purpose — purpose infinitive — unclean beasts (Lev 11:7): the nadir for a Jewish son
16
καὶ ἐπεθύμει χορτασθῆναι ἐκ τῶν κερατίωνcontent — imperfect ἐπεθύμει — the gnawing, unsatisfied craving for carob pods, swine-fodder
ὧν ἤσθιον οἱ χοῖροι,relative — ὧν attracted to the genitive of its antecedent — he envies the swine their supper
καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδίδου αὐτῷ.content — customary imperfect ἐδίδου — even the pods withheld: the absolute bottom
vv. 17–19 — he comes to himself: the resolve and the rehearsed confession
17
εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν ἔφη·content — εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐλθών — 'came to his senses'; the inner speech frame for the soliloquy
Πόσοι μίσθιοι τοῦ πατρός μου περισσεύονται ἄρτων,content — exclamatory Πόσοι — even the day-laborers abound in the father's house
ἐγὼ δὲ λιμῷ ὧδε ἀπόλλυμαι.content — emphatic ἐγὼ δέ — and ἀπόλλυμαι: the keyword now in the son's own mouth; he names himself lost
18
ἀναστὰς πορεύσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μουcontent — the resolve — ἀναστάς, the rising verb, enacted word for word at v. 20
καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτῷ·content — the speech planned inside the speech — the confession rehearsed before it is spoken
Πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου,content — the confession, clause one — sin against heaven (God) first, then the father; cf. Pharaoh and David's 'I have sinned'
19
οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου·content — clause two — sonship renounced
ποίησόν με ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου.content — clause three — the bid for μίσθιος standing: the one clause he will never get to say (v. 21)
vv. 20–24 — the running father: compassion outruns confession
20
καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ.content — ἀναστάς repeated verbatim from v. 18 — resolve become act
ἔτι δὲ αὐτοῦ μακρὰν ἀπέχοντος εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦcontent — genitive absolute kept in line — 'still far off': the father was watching the road
καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθηcontent — σπλαγχνίζομαι — gut-level pity, the verb elsewhere reserved for Jesus (7:13; 10:33)
καὶ δραμὼν ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦcontent — δραμών — a patriarch running, undignified love; the embrace of Gen 33:4; 45:14
καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν.content — κατά-intensive καταφιλέω — kissed fervently, before a word of confession is spoken
21
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῷ·content — the confession now delivered — inside the embrace
Πάτερ, ἥμαρτον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἐνώπιόν σου,content — verbatim recurrence of v. 18 — the rehearsal spoken word for word
οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἄξιος κληθῆναι υἱός σου.content — verbatim from v. 19 — but the hired-man clause never comes: the father's welcome has cut it off (shorter text printed)
22
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ·content — the reply is not to the son but to the servants — restoration by command, not negotiation
Ταχὺ ἐξενέγκατε στολὴν τὴν πρώτηνcontent — Ταχύ (with the earliest witnesses) — the father's haste; the στολὴ πρώτη, the robe of honor
καὶ ἐνδύσατε αὐτόν,content — clothed by others' hands — honor conferred, not earned back
καὶ δότε δακτύλιον εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑποδήματα εἰς τοὺς πόδας,content — signet and sandals — authority restored, and a free son's feet: slaves went barefoot
23
καὶ φέρετε τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν,content — the animal kept for the great occasion — this is that occasion
θύσατε,content — asyndetic imperative — the commands tumbling out
καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν,content — hortatory εὐφρανθῶμεν — the feast-keyword (vv. 24, 29, 32); the father joins his own household's joy
24
ὅτι οὗτος ὁ υἱός μου νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησεν, ἦν ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη.cause — the double antithesis kept whole — dead/alive, lost/found: homecoming as resurrection, tying the son to sheep and coin; recurs at v. 32
καὶ ἤρξαντο εὐφραίνεσθαι.content — ingressive ἤρξαντο — the feast underway: the hinge into the elder brother's half
vv. 25–30 — the elder brother: anger outside the feast
25
Ἦν δὲ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐν ἀγρῷ·content — the second son of v. 11 enters — at his work, the picture of dutiful service
καὶ ὡς ἐρχόμενος ἤγγισεν τῇ οἰκίᾳ,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd) leaning forward on ἤκουσεν — ἤγγισεν, the very verb of the sinners drawing near (v. 1)
ἤκουσεν συμφωνίας καὶ χορῶν,content — the feast heard from outside — where he will choose to remain
26
καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ἕνα τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετοcontent — he asks a servant rather than enter — already at a distance from the household's joy
τί ἂν εἴη ταῦτα.content — indirect question with ἄν + optative — a refined Lukan touch
27
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷcontent — the servant's report — the story's plainest voice
ὅτι Ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἥκει,content — ὅτι recitativum; 'your brother' — the relation the elder will refuse (v. 30)
καὶ ἔθυσεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν,content — the fact that will rankle — the calf named again at vv. 23, 30
ὅτι ὑγιαίνοντα αὐτὸν ἀπέλαβεν.cause — ἀπέλαβεν — got him back; ὑγιαίνοντα, the recovery that grounds the feast
28
ὠργίσθη δὲcontent — ingressive ὠργίσθη — the elder's anger mirrors the grumbling of v. 2
καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν εἰσελθεῖν·content — imperfect οὐκ ἤθελεν — a sustained refusal: now the elder is the one outside
ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐξελθὼν παρεκάλει αὐτόν.content — the father goes out to this son too; imperfect παρεκάλει — persistent pleading, as he ran for the other
29
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ·content — the protest's frame — no vocative Πάτερ: the elder omits the address both uses of the younger carried
Ἰδοὺ τοσαῦτα ἔτη δουλεύω σοιcontent — δουλεύω — his telling word: sonship experienced as slavery
καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐντολήν σου παρῆλθον,content — the claim of flawless obedience — the 'righteous who need no repentance' of v. 7 in narrative dress
καὶ ἐμοὶ οὐδέποτε ἔδωκας ἔριφονcontent — adversative καί; fronted ἐμοί — the grievance: a mere goat withheld against a calf bestowed
ἵνα μετὰ τῶν φίλων μου εὐφρανθῶ·purpose — the feast-word in the elder's grudging mouth — and with his friends, not his father
30
ὅτε δὲ ὁ υἱός σου οὗτος ὁ καταφαγών σου τὸν βίον μετὰ πορνῶν ἦλθεν,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd) leaning forward on ἔθυσας — 'this son of yours,' not 'my brother'; the prostitutes are his own harsh surmise, never narrated
ἔθυσας αὐτῷ τὸν σιτευτὸν μόσχον.content — the accusation lands on the calf — the feast itself is his grievance
vv. 31–32 — the father's last word: the necessity of joy
31
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·content — the father's reply — gentle where the protest was bitter
Τέκνον, σὺ πάντοτε μετ' ἐμοῦ εἶ,content — Τέκνον — the tender address; emphatic σύ: the elder's unbroken nearness, which he has counted as servitude
καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμὰ σά ἐστιν·content — the whole remaining estate is already his — nothing has been taken from the elder
32
εὐφρανθῆναι δὲ καὶ χαρῆναι ἔδει,content — ἔδει — the divine 'must': joy over the found is not indulgence but obligation; χαρῆναι binds the feast to the χαρά of vv. 7, 10
ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἔζησεν, καὶ ἀπολωλὼς καὶ εὑρέθη.cause — the v. 24 refrain kept whole and returned — 'this son of yours' corrected to 'this brother of yours'; the parable ends open, the elder's answer (the Pharisees') left to the hearer
Analysis. Luke 15 is one answer to one complaint, and the layout shows it: the only flush-left narrative is the murmuring frame of vv. 1–2 and the speech-frames that reply to it — εἶπεν ... λέγων (v. 3), the fresh Ἢ-question of v. 8, and the bare Εἶπεν δέ of v. 11 — so that nearly the whole chapter hangs blue (cnt) beneath a verb of saying. Following the convention settled at Mark 4, parable narrative keeps Luke's parataxis as a coordinate cnt catena at the speech's own depth: the shepherd's search runs under the λέγων of v. 3, and the entire prodigal-son story — both sons, vv. 11–32 — stands as one column under Εἶπεν δέ, while dialogue inside the story nests under its own speech verbs: the younger son's demand (v. 12), his soliloquy under ἔφη (v. 17) with the rehearsed confession one step deeper under ἐρῶ (vv. 18–19) — a confession that then recurs verbatim at v. 21, cut off (with the earliest witnesses) before the 'make me a hired man' clause the father will not hear — the father's imperative volley to the servants (vv. 22–23), the servant's report (v. 27), the elder brother's protest with its telling δουλεύω (vv. 29–30), and the Τέκνον reply (vv. 31–32). The τίς-questions of vv. 4 and 8 are shown with their suspended interrogative subjects (dashed) resumed by the οὐ/οὐχί verbs; the ἐάν protasis of v. 8 and the temporal ὡς (v. 25) and ὅτε (v. 30) clauses lean forward anchorless (typed cnd), while trailing ἕως-clauses hang from their verbs; genitive absolutes are kept in line with their main verbs (vv. 14, 20). The lost-coin section restarts at depth 0, its Ἢ binding it to the sheep as one paired question, and the twin Συγχάρητέ μοι refrains (vv. 6, 9) and λέγω-ὑμῖν applications (vv. 7, 10) are laid out in matching shapes. The dead/alive–lost/found refrain is kept whole at vv. 24 and 32 so its recurrence — and the father's correction of 'this son of yours' (v. 30) to 'this brother of yours' — reads at a glance; the chapter closes on ἔδει, the divine 'must' of joy, the parable left open toward the grumblers of v. 2.