Luke 15
1 The tax collectors and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
Then all the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were getting close to Him to hear Him.
2 but the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law found fault. “This man always welcomes outcasts, and takes meals with them!” they complained.
Well the Pharisees and the scribes started complaining, saying, “This man welcomes ‘sinners’ and eats with them.”
3 So Jesus told them this parable –
So He told them this parable, saying:
4 “Who among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
“What man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not abandon the ninety-nine in the wild and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 And, when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders rejoicing;
And upon finding it he joyfully puts it on his shoulders.
6 and, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost!’
7 So, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one outcast who repents, than over ninety-nine religious people, who have no need to repent.
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.
8 Or again, 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 until she finds it?
“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.’
And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost!’
10 So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one outcast who repents.”
Just so, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Then Jesus continued, “A man had two sons;
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to his father ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ So the father divided the property between them.
And the younger one said to the father, ‘Father, give me the appropriate share of the estate.’ So he divided the property between them.
13 A few days later the younger son got together all that he had, and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life.
Not many days later the younger son, having converted it all, journeyed to a distant country; and there he squandered his wealth living dissolutely.
14 After he has spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual want.
But when he had spent it all, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
Then he went and attached himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.
He would gladly have filled his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 But, when he came to himself, he said ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death!
But when he came to himself he said: ‘How many of my father's hired servants have an abundance of bread, while I am dying of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him “Father, I sinned against heaven and against you;
I will get up and go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.”’
and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired servants.’
20 And he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.
“So he got up and went to his own father. But while he was still a good ways off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion—he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him!
21 ‘Father,’ the son said, ‘I sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.’
Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 But the father turned to his servants and said ‘Be quick and fetch a robe – the very best – and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet;
But the father said to his slaves: ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
And bring in and kill the fatted calf, and let us eat and celebrate;
24 for here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.’ So they began making merry.
because this son of mine was dead and came to life; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing,
“Now his older son was in the field; and as he came approaching the house he heard music and dancing.
26 and he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant.
So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 ‘Your brother has come back,’ the servant told him, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’
28 This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.
So he became angry and refused to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him.
29 ‘No,’ he said to his father, ‘look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might have a party with my friends.
But in answer he said to the father: ‘Just look at how many years I have been serving you without ever transgressing your commandment; yet you never gave me even a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends.
30 But, no sooner has this son of yours come, who has eaten up your property in the company of prostitutes, than you have killed the fattened calf for him.’
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’
31 ‘Child,’ the father answered, ‘you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.
So he said to him: ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32 But how could we not celebrate and rejoice? Here is your brother who was dead and is alive, who was lost and is found.’”
But it was right that we celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and came to life; he was lost and is found.’”
