Asotos (ἀσώτως) is the adverb form of asotia (G810), meaning "prodigally," "in a recklessly wasteful manner," "dissolutely." It appears only once in the New Testament — in Luke 15:13 — describing how the prodigal son "squandered his wealth in reckless living." The elder brother later accuses him of devoting this living to prostitutes (Luke 15:30), though Scripture does not confirm this accusation.
The adverb asotos marks the nadir of the prodigal's descent: "he squandered his wealth living prodigally." The word comes from the same root as "unsavable" — yet the entire parable is about a supposedly unsavable son who is, in fact, saved. This linguistic irony is central to the gospel: the one who lived beyond saving was saved; the one who considered himself perfectly fine was spiritually lost. The father does not wait to be convinced — he sees the son "while he was still a long way off" and runs (Luke 15:20). The point is not to glorify asotos living but to reveal the astonishing reach of grace: God can reclaim even the most prodigal life and restore it to abundance. The robe, ring, and sandals signal restoration of dignity that reckless living tried to destroy.