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.
Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to 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 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 “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]
"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 When you [(sg)] found it, you would put it on your shoulders and be happy.
And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
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!’
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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 I tell you that similarly the angels will be happy about [even just] one sinner who turns from doing evil.”
"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 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.
He went on to say, "There was a man who 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.
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 [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.
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 had spent all his money, there was a great famine throughout that country. And soon he did not have enough [food to] eat.
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 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.
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 [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 longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
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]!
"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 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 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 worthy to be called {of [you] calling me} your son. Just hire me to be like one of the other hired servants.”’
I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
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].
"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 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.’
"'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 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, "'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 Then bring the fat calf and kill it [and cook it]. We [(inc)] must eat and celebrate,
Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
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 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 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 out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.
Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this 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.’
"'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 [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 angry and would not go in. But 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.
"'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 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 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 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.
"'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.
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!’”
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.'"
