Luke 15
1 Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;
Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him.
2 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!"
And the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "He is welcoming sinners and eating with them!"
3 So in figurative language He asked them,
And he told them a parable.
4 "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?
"Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
"And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.
6 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.'
"When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7 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.
"I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 "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?
"Or, again, suppose a woman has ten coins. If she loses one, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and search anxiously until she finds it?
9 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.'
"And when she has found it, she calls together her woman friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’
10 "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."
"Even so I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels for God over one sinner who repents."
11 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.
And he said. "There was a man who had two sons.
12 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.
"The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.’ So he divided his means among them.
13 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.
"Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly.
14 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want.
"After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want.
15 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;
"So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine.
16 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
"And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 "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!
"When he came to himself he said. "‘How many of my father’s hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger!
18 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you:
"‘I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight,
19 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
"‘"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."‘
20 "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.
"So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 "'Father,' cried the son, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.'
"The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.’
22 "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.
"‘Fetch the best robe, quick,’ said the father to his slaves, ‘and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet.
23 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
"‘Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry,
24 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.
"‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again - he was lost and is found.’
25 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
"So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing,
26 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.
"and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant.
27 "'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'
"‘Your brother is come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.’
28 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him.
"But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father.
29 "'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;
"‘All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends.
30 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.'
"‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.’
31 "'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.
"‘My dear son,’ answered his father, ‘you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.
32 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.'"
"‘But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.’"
