Luke 15
1 The tax collectors and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to 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.
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 So Jesus told them this parable –
So in figurative language He asked them,
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?
"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, when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders rejoicing;
And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
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.’
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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one outcast who repents.”
"I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."
11 Then Jesus continued, “A 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 his father ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ So the father divided the property between them.
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 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.
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 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.
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 So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend 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 He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.
and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
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 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 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him “Father, I sinned against heaven and against you;
I will rise and go to my father, and will 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.”’
I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
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 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 ‘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.’
"'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 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 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 bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
24 for here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.’ So they began making 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 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 elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
26 and he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant.
Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this 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.’
"'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 This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.
"Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated 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.
"'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, 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 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 ‘Child,’ the father answered, ‘you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.
"'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also 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.’”
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.'"
