Luke 15
1 And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him.
2 and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
And the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "He is welcoming sinners and eating with them!"
3 And he spoke to them this parable, saying,
And he told them a parable.
4 What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
"Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 and having found it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;
"And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.
6 and being come to the house, calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
"When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7 I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, [more] than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.
"I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 Or, what woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?
"Or, again, suppose a woman has ten coins. If she loses one, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and search anxiously until she finds it?
9 and having found it she calls together the friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
"And when she has found it, she calls together her woman friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’
10 Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.
"Even so I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels for God over one sinner who repents."
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons;
And he said. "There was a man who had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give to me the share of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided to them what he was possessed of.
"The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.’ So he divided his means among them.
13 And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
"Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly.
14 But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
"After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
"So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine.
16 And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.
"And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine.
"When he came to himself he said. "‘How many of my father’s hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger!
18 I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;
"‘I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight,
19 I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
"‘"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."‘
20 And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.
"So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.
"The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.’
22 But the father said to his bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in [it], and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
"‘Fetch the best robe, quick,’ said the father to his slaves, ‘and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet.
23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
"‘Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry,
24 for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.
"‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again - he was lost and is found.’
25 And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
"So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing,
26 And having called one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.
"and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant.
27 And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and well.
"‘Your brother is come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.’
28 But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.
"But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father.
29 But he answering said to his father, Behold, so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed a commandment of thine; and to me hast thou never given a kid that I might make merry with my friends:
"‘All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends.
30 but when this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
"‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.’
31 But he said to him, Child, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
"‘My dear son,’ answered his father, ‘you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.
32 But it was right to make merry and rejoice, because this thy brother was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.
"‘But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.’"
