< Luke 15 >

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
3 He told them this parable:
And he spoke to them this parable, saying,
4 “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
and having found it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;
6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
and being come to the house, calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
7 I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, [more] than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.
8 “Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
Or, what woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?
9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’
and having found it she calls together the friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
And he said, A certain man had two sons;
12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them.
and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give to me the share of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided to them what he was possessed of.
13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.
17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine.
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 “He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.
21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
But the father said to his bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in [it], and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
And having called one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.
27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’
And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and well.
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.
29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
But he answering said to his father, Behold, so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed a commandment of thine; and to me hast thou never given a kid that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
but when this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
But he said to him, Child, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”
But it was right to make merry and rejoice, because this thy brother was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.

< Luke 15 >