Luke 15
1 Many [HYP] tax collectors and [others whom people considered to be] habitual sinners kept coming to Jesus to listen to him teach.
THEN drew nigh unto him all the tax-farmers and the sinners to hear him.
2 The Pharisees and men who taught the [Jewish] laws [who were there] [SYN] began to grumble, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and he also [defiles himself by eating] with them!”
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man entertains sinners, and eateth with them.
3 So Jesus told them this parable:
Then spake he unto them this parable, saying,
4 “Suppose that one of you had 100 sheep. If one of them were lost, (you [(sg)] would certainly leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it./would you not leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it?) [RHQ]
What man is there of you, possessing an hundred sheep, though he lose but one of them, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 When you [(sg)] found it, you would put it on your shoulders and be happy.
and when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 When you brought it home, you would call together your friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’
And coming home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Congratulate me; for I have found that sheep of mine which was lost.
7 I tell you [(pl)] that similarly [God] will be very happy about each and every sinner who turns from doing evil. God is not happy about 99 people who [think that they] are [IRO] righteous and think that they do not need to turn from doing evil.
I tell you, that just so will there be joy in heaven over one repentant sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who hold not their need of repentance.
8 Or, suppose that a woman has ten [very valuable] silver coins. If she loses one of them, (she will certainly light a lamp and sweep the floor and search carefully until she finds it!/will she not light a lamp and sweep the floor and search carefully until she finds it?) [RHQ]
Or what woman having ten pieces of silver coin, if she lose one of them, doth she not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and make diligent search until she find it?
9 When she finds it, she will call together her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Be happy with me, [because] I have found the coin that I lost!’
And having found it, she calleth her female friends and neighbours together, saying, Congratulate me; for I have found the silver piece I had lost.
10 I tell you that similarly the angels will be happy about [even just] one sinner who turns from doing evil.”
Even so, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God, over one repentant sinner.
11 Then [Jesus told them this parable to compare what the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law thought about those who turn from their sinful behavior with what God thinks about such people]. He said, “A certain man had two sons.
Then he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 One day the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, [I do not want to wait until you(sg) die]. Give me now the share of your property that belongs to me!’ So the man divided his property between his two sons.
and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of substance which falls to my share. And he divided with them his fortune.
13 A few days later, the younger son [sold his share]. He gathered his money and other things together and went to a country far away. There he spent all his money foolishly in reckless/wild living.
And not many days after, the younger son, collecting his all, travelled into a far distant country, and there dissipated his substance in a life of debauchery.
14 After he had spent all his money, there was a great famine throughout that country. And soon he did not have enough [food to] eat.
But when he had spent all, there came a terrible famine in that region; and he began to know want.
15 So he went to one of the landowners in that area and asked for work. The man sent him to work taking care of the pigs in his field.
And he went and connected himself with one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 [Because he was very hungry], he would have been glad to eat the bean pods that the pigs ate. But no one gave him anything to eat.
And he eagerly longed to fill his belly with the charob berries which the swine did eat: and no person gave him a morsel.
17 Finally he thought clearly about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘All of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food! They have more [SYN] than they can eat, but here I am dying because I do not have anything to eat [HYP]!
Then coming to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father abound with loaves of bread, and I am pining away with famine!
18 So I will leave here and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against God [MTY, EUP] and against you [(sg)].
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 I am no longer worthy to be called {of [you] calling me} your son. Just hire me to be like one of the other hired servants.”’
and I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hirelings.
20 So he left there and went back to his father’s house. But while he was still some distance from the house, his father saw him. He pitied him. He ran to his son and embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek].
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet at a considerable distance, his father discovered him, and was moved with compassion, and running, fell on his neck, and kissed him again and again.
21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God [MTY/EUP] and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called {of [you] calling me} your son.’
Then said the son unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But his father said to his servants, ‘Go quickly and bring to me the best robe [in the house]! Then put it on my son. Put a ring on his finger [to show that I am honoring him again as my son]! Put sandals on his feet [to show that I do not consider him to be a slave]!
But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe, and clothe him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet:
23 Then bring the fat calf and kill it [and cook it]. We [(inc)] must eat and celebrate,
and bring hither the stall-fed steer, and kill it; and let us eat, and be joyous.
24 because my son has returned! [It is as though] [MET] he was dead and is alive again! [It is as though] he was lost and now has been found!’ So they did that, and they all began to celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. And they began to be joyous.
25 While all that was happening, the man’s older son was out [working] in the field. When he came near to the house, he heard [people playing] music and dancing.
Now his elder brother had been in the field: and when coming home he drew near the house, he heard a concert of music, and the chorus.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.
And calling one of the servants, he inquired what these things meant.
27 The servant said to him, ‘Your [younger] brother has come [home] Your father has [told us to] kill the fat calf [to celebrate] because your brother has returned safe and healthy.’
And he said, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed for him the stall-fed steer, because he hath received him in health.
28 [But] the older brother was angry. He refused to enter [the house]. So his father came out and pleaded with him [to come in].
Then he was in great wrath, and would not enter the doors: therefore his father came out, and entreated him.
29 But he replied to his father, ‘Listen to me! For many years I have worked for you like a slave. I always obeyed everything you told me to do. But you never even gave me a young goat, so that I could [kill it and cook it and] celebrate with my friends.
But he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years I am serving thee, and never have transgressed thy command: yet to me thou hast never once given a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But this son of yours spent all the [money he got from] what you gave him. He spent it [to pay for sleeping with] prostitutes! Yes, now he has returned home, [but it is not fair that] you have told your [servants] to kill the fat calf [and cook it] for him!’
but no sooner is this son of thine come, who hath devoured thy substance with whores, than thou hast killed for him the stall-fed steer.
31 But his father said to him, ‘My son, you have always been with me, and all my property [that I did not give to your brother] has been yours.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all my possessions are thine.
32 But [it is as though] [MET] your brother was dead and is alive again! [It is as though] he was lost and now he has been found! So it is appropriate for us to be happy and celebrate!’”
But it was right that we should rejoice, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
