Luke 15
1 And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
2 and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying — This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'
So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 And he spake unto them this simile, saying,
Then Jesus told them this parable:
4 'What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5 and having found, he doth lay [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
6 and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep — the lost one.
comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
7 'I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.
In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
8 'Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?
Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 and having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I lost.
And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’
10 'So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
11 And he said, 'A certain man had two sons,
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.
The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 'And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
15 and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
16 and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.
He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
17 'And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!
18 having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin — to the heaven, and before thee,
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20 'And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21 and the son said to him, Father, I did sin — to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.
The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 'And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
24 because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 'And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,
Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,
So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
27 and he said to him — Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.
‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 'And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him;
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;
But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 but when thy son — this one who did devour thy living with harlots — came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf.
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 'And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;
‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.
32 but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
