Luke 15
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
The tax collectors and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
but the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law found fault. “This man always welcomes outcasts, and takes meals with them!” they complained.
3 He told them this parable:
So Jesus told them this parable –
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?
“Who among you who has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine out in the open country, and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And, when he has found it, he puts in on his shoulders rejoicing;
6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
and, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’
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.
So, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one outcast who repents, than over ninety-nine religious people, who have no need to repent.
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 again, 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 until she finds it?
9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’
And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.’
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one outcast who repents.”
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
Then Jesus continued, “A 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 me my share of the inheritance.’ So the father divided the property between them.
13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and travelled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
A few days later the younger son got together all that he had, and went away into a distant land; and there he squandered his inheritance by leading a dissolute life.
14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
After he has spent all that he had, there was a severe famine through all that country, and he began to be in actual 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.
So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.
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!
But, when he came to himself, he said ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more bread than they can eat, while here am I starving to death!
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 get up and go to my father, and say to him “Father, I sinned against heaven and against you;
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your 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 got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved; he ran and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.
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.’
‘Father,’ the son said, ‘I sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.’
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 turned to his servants and said ‘Be quick and fetch a robe – the very best – and put it on him; give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet;
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
and bring the fattened 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 here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.’ So they began making merry.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing,
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
and he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant.
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.’
‘Your brother has come back,’ the servant told him, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.
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.
‘No,’ he said to his father, ‘look at all the years I have been serving you, without ever once disobeying you, and yet you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might have a party 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, no sooner has this son of yours come, who has eaten up your property in the company of prostitutes, than you have killed the fattened calf for him.’
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
‘Child,’ the father answered, ‘you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.
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.’”
We could but make merry and rejoice, for here is your brother who was dead, and is alive; who was lost, and is found.’”
