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 near unto him all the publicans and sinners for 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 receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 So Jesus told them this parable:
And he spake this parable unto them, 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 of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and 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 when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep 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 say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no 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]
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till 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 when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 I tell you that similarly the angels will be happy about [even just] one sinner who turns from doing evil.”
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
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.
And 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 goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
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 gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
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.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in 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 joined himself to a citizen 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 would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
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]!
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
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 am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
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 a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
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.’
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, 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 forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes 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 fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
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; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
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 son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.
And he called one of the servants, and asked 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 unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
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].
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated 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.
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me 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 as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
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 that I have is 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!’”
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
