Prodigal son
A prodigal son is someone welcomed back after leaving home or behaving badly; the phrase comes from the story of a wasteful younger son in The Gospel of Luke. Today it can describe a return to a family, workplace, or community.
Where it comes from
The younger son's return
The story appears in The Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. A younger son wastes his inheritance, falls into poverty, and returns home hoping for work rather than a son's welcome.
When the father sees his son approaching, he runs to greet him and orders a feast. The welcome restores the son to the household rather than treating him as a servant.
In The Gospel of Luke by Traditionally attributed to Luke
A welcome that feels unfair
The phrase often carries the idea of generous forgiveness. The story also shows how that generosity can trouble someone who has stayed and worked faithfully.
In The Gospel of Luke, the older son refuses to join the celebration because his father's welcome seems unfair. His father goes out to explain why the younger son's return brings joy.
In The Gospel of Luke by Traditionally attributed to Luke
A return after going astray
Today the phrase can be affectionate, serious, or gently teasing. It usually suggests that someone has returned after an absence or a mistake and has been accepted again.
The younger son's return in The Gospel of Luke gives the phrase its familiar pattern: departure, trouble, and a welcome home.
In The Gospel of Luke by Traditionally attributed to Luke
How to use Prodigal son
- Use it for someone returning after an absence or a mistake.
- Make the welcome or forgiveness clear.
- Keep teasing uses gentle when real hurt is involved.
What does prodigal actually mean?
Prodigal means wasteful or recklessly extravagant, especially with money. It does not mean someone who returns. In The Gospel of Luke, the younger son earns the description by spending his inheritance wastefully before poverty drives him home.
Does a prodigal son have to be a son?
No, the phrase can describe someone returning to a group or place, not just a son returning to a parent. Prodigal daughter is also used. The connection is usually a welcome after absence or wrongdoing, though casual uses may simply mean a long-awaited return.
Related terms
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