15:14a

After he had spent all he had: The clause After he had spent all he had means that the young man had used up all his money. Other ways to translate this are:

In this way he spent all his money
-or-
He had nothing left when… (God’s Word)

15:14b

a severe famine swept through that country: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a severe famine swept through that country is literally “there-came a severe famine.” Languages have different ways to describe the start or spread of a famine. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

a time came when there was no food anywhere in the country (New Century Version)
-or-
a bad famine spread through that whole land (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
that country experienced a severe famine (New Jerusalem Bible)

a severe famine: The phrase a severe famine refers to a time when there was little food available for humans or animals to eat.

15:14c

and he began to be in need: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he began to be in need indicates that the younger son no longer had any money. He could not buy food, so he began to go hungry. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Soon he had nothing to eat. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
He had nothing to live on. (God’s Word)
-or-
he began to starve (New Living Translation (2004))

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