< Luke 15 >
1 Now, all the publicans and the sinners resorted to Jesus, to hear him.
2 But the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured, saying, This man admits sinners, and eats with them.
3 Then he addressed this similitude to them:
4 What man, amongst you, who has a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, to go after that which is lost, till he find it?
5 And having found it, does he not joyfully lay it on his shoulders,
6 and when he is come home, convene his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost?
7 Thus, I assure you, there is greater joy in heaven for one sinner who reforms, than for ninety-nine righteous persons, who need no reformation.
8 Or what woman, who has ten drachmas, if she lose one, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully till she find it?
9 And having found it, does she not assemble her female friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!
10 Such joy, I assure you, have the angels of God, when any sinner reforms.
11 He said, also, A certain man had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me my portion of the estate. And he allotted to them their shares.
13 Soon after, the younger son gathered all together, and traveled into a distant country, and there wasted his substance in riot.
14 When all was spent, a great famine came upon that land, and he began to be in want.
15 Then he applied to one of the inhabitants of the country, who sent him into his fields to keep swine.
16 And he desired to appease his hunger with the husks on which the swine were feeding; for no person gave him anything.
17 At length, coming to himself, he said, How many hirelings has my father, who have all more bread than suffices them, while I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise, and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and you,
19 and am no longer worthy to be called your son.
20 And he arose, and went to his father. When he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and threw himself upon his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring here the principal robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet:
23 bring also the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry;
24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. So they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field, walking home. And as he drew near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 He, therefore, called one of the servants, and asked the reason of this.
27 He answered, Your brother is returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him in health.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in; therefore, his father came out, and entreated him.
29 He answering, said to his father, These many years I have served you, without disobeying your command in anything; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might entertain my friends;
30 but no sooner did this, your son, return, who had squandered your living on prostitutes, than you killed for him the fatted calf.
31 Son, replied the father, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours:
32 it was but reasonable that we should rejoice and be merry; because this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
