Luke 15

¹ The tax col ectors and sinners, however, were al crowding round to listen to him,

² and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'

³ So he told them this parable:

⁴ 'Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desertand go after the missing one till he found it?

⁵ And when he found it, would he not joyful y take it on his shoulders

⁶ and then, when he got home, cal together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice withme, I have found my sheep that was lost."

⁷ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than overninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.

⁸ 'Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out thehouse and search thoroughly till she found it?

⁹ And then, when she had found it, cal together her friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoicewith me, I have found the drachma I lost."

¹⁰ In the same way, I tel you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.'

¹¹ Then he said, 'There was a man who had two sons.

¹² The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that wil come to me."So the father divided the property between them.

¹³ A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country wherehe squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

¹⁴ 'When he had spent it al , that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel thepinch;

¹⁵ so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs.

¹⁶ And he would wil ingly have fil ed himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would lethim have them.

¹⁷ Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have al the food theywant and more, and here am I dying of hunger!

¹⁸ I wil leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and againstyou;

¹⁹ I no longer deserve to be cal ed your son; treat me as one of your hired men."

²⁰ So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was stil a long way off, his father saw himand was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him.

²¹ Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to becal ed your son."

²² But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on hisfinger and sandals on his feet.

²³ Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kil it; we wil celebrate by having a feast,

²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And theybegan to celebrate.

²⁵ 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he couldhear music and dancing.

²⁶ Cal ing one of the servants he asked what it was all about.

²⁷ The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has kil ed the calf we had beenfattening because he has got him back safe and sound."

²⁸ He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in;

²⁹ but he retorted to his father, "Al these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed anyorders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends.

³⁰ But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loosewomen -- you kil the calf we had been fattening."

³¹ 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours.

³² But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and hascome to life; he was lost and is found." '