Luke 15
1 And all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to Him, to hear Him,
Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;
2 and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying, “This One receives sinners, and eats with them.”
and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"
3 And He spoke to them this allegory, saying,
So in figurative language He asked them,
4 “What man of you having one hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, does not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, until he may find it?
"Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?
5 And having found, he lays [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,
And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
6 and having come into the house, he calls together the friends and the neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep—the lost one.
Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together, and says, 'Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--the one I had lost.'
7 I say to you that [more] joy will be in Heaven over one sinner converting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of conversion.
I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.
8 Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she may lose one drachma, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she may find?
"Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully till she finds it?
9 And having found, she calls together the female friends and the neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachma that I lost.
And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, and says, "'Congratulate me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'
10 So I say to you, joy comes before the messengers of God over one sinner converting.”
"I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."
11 And He said, “A certain man had two sons,
He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.
The younger of them said to his father, "'Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided his wealth between them.
13 And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess.
14 and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want.
15 and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into the fields to feed pigs,
So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;
16 and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving to him.
and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 And having come to himself, he said, How many hired workers of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I am perishing here with hunger!
"But on coming to himself he said, "'How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger!
18 Having risen, I will go on to my father, and will say to him, Father, I sinned—to Heaven, and before you,
I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you:
19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired workers.
I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
20 And having risen, he went to his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell on his neck and kissed him;
"So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly.
21 and the son said to him, Father, I sinned—to Heaven, and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
"'Father,' cried the son, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.'
22 And the father said to his servants, Bring forth the foremost robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;
"But the father said to his servants, "'Fetch a good coat quickly--the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet.
23 and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,
Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
24 because this son of mine was dead, and lived again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.
for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.
25 And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing,
"Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
26 and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,
Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.
27 and he said to him, Your brother has arrived, and your father killed the fatted calf, because he received him back in health.
"'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'
28 And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was pleading him;
"Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him.
29 and he answering said to the father, Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I transgress your command, and you never gave to me a kid that I might make merry with my friends;
"'All these years,' replied the son, 'I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends;
30 but when your son—this one who devoured your living with prostitutes—came, you killed to him the fatted calf.
but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.'
31 And he said to him, Child, you are always with me, and all my things are yours;
"'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.
32 but to be merry, and to be glad, it was necessary, because this your brother was dead, and lived again, he was lost, and was found.”
We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"
