Luke 15
1 Many [HYP] tax collectors and [others whom people considered to be] habitual sinners kept coming to Jesus to listen to him teach.
Now tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him, so that they might listen to him.
2 The Pharisees and men who taught the [Jewish] laws [who were there] [SYN] began to grumble, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and he also [defiles himself by eating] with them!”
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This one accepts sinners and eats with them.”
3 So Jesus told them this parable:
And he told this parable to them, saying:
4 “Suppose that one of you had 100 sheep. If one of them were lost, (you [(sg)] would certainly leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it./would you not leave the 99 sheep in the pasture, and go and search for the one lost sheep until you found it?) [RHQ]
“What man among you, who has one hundred sheep, and if he will have lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one whom he had lost, until he finds it?
5 When you [(sg)] found it, you would put it on your shoulders and be happy.
And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 When you brought it home, you would call together your friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’
And returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: ‘Congratulate me! For I have found my sheep, which had been lost.’
7 I tell you [(pl)] that similarly [God] will be very happy about each and every sinner who turns from doing evil. God is not happy about 99 people who [think that they] are [IRO] righteous and think that they do not need to turn from doing evil.
I say to you, that there will be so much more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, than over the ninety-nine just, who do not need to repent.
8 Or, suppose that a woman has ten [very valuable] silver coins. If she loses one of them, (she will certainly light a lamp and sweep the floor and search carefully until she finds it!/will she not light a lamp and sweep the floor and search carefully until she finds it?) [RHQ]
Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she will have lost one drachma, would not light a candle, and sweep the house, and diligently search until she finds it?
9 When she finds it, she will call together her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Be happy with me, [because] I have found the coin that I lost!’
And 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.’
10 I tell you that similarly the angels will be happy about [even just] one sinner who turns from doing evil.”
So I say to you, there will be joy before the Angels of God over even one sinner who is repentant.”
11 Then [Jesus told them this parable to compare what the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law thought about those who turn from their sinful behavior with what God thinks about such people]. He said, “A certain man had two sons.
And he said: “A certain man had two sons.
12 One day the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, [I do not want to wait until you(sg) die]. Give me now the share of your property that belongs to me!’ So the man divided his property between his two sons.
And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.’ And he divided the estate between them.
13 A few days later, the younger son [sold his share]. He gathered his money and other things together and went to a country far away. There he spent all his money foolishly in reckless/wild living.
And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury.
14 After he had spent all his money, there was a great famine throughout that country. And soon he did not have enough [food to] eat.
And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went to one of the landowners in that area and asked for work. The man sent him to work taking care of the pigs in his field.
And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine.
16 [Because he was very hungry], he would have been glad to eat the bean pods that the pigs ate. But no one gave him anything to eat.
And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him.
17 Finally he thought clearly about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘All of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food! They have more [SYN] than they can eat, but here I am dying because I do not have anything to eat [HYP]!
And returning to his senses, he said: ‘How many hired hands in my father’s house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine!
18 So I will leave here and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against God [MTY, EUP] and against you [(sg)].
I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called {of [you] calling me} your son. Just hire me to be like one of the other hired servants.”’
I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.’
20 So he left there and went back to his father’s house. But while he was still some distance from the house, his father saw him. He pitied him. He ran to his son and embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek].
And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God [MTY/EUP] and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called {of [you] calling me} your son.’
And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called your son.’
22 But his father said to his servants, ‘Go quickly and bring to me the best robe [in the house]! Then put it on my son. Put a ring on his finger [to show that I am honoring him again as my son]! Put sandals on his feet [to show that I do not consider him to be a slave]!
But the father said to his servants: ‘Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
23 Then bring the fat calf and kill it [and cook it]. We [(inc)] must eat and celebrate,
And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast.
24 because my son has returned! [It is as though] [MET] he was dead and is alive again! [It is as though] he was lost and now has been found!’ So they did that, and they all began to celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast.
25 While all that was happening, the man’s older son was out [working] in the field. When he came near to the house, he heard [people playing] music and dancing.
But his elder son was in the field. And when he returned and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.
And he called one of the servants, and he questioned him as to what these things meant.
27 The servant said to him, ‘Your [younger] brother has come [home] Your father has [told us to] kill the fat calf [to celebrate] because your brother has returned safe and healthy.’
And he said to him: ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safely.’
28 [But] the older brother was angry. He refused to enter [the house]. So his father came out and pleaded with him [to come in].
Then he became indignant, and he was unwilling to enter. Therefore, his father, going out, began to plead with him.
29 But he replied to his father, ‘Listen to me! For many years I have worked for you like a slave. I always obeyed everything you told me to do. But you never even gave me a young goat, so that I could [kill it and cook it and] celebrate with my friends.
And in response, he said to his father: ‘Behold, I have been serving you for so many years. And I have never transgressed your commandment. And yet, you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might feast with my friends.
30 But this son of yours spent all the [money he got from] what you gave him. He spent it [to pay for sleeping with] prostitutes! Yes, now he has returned home, [but it is not fair that] you have told your [servants] to kill the fat calf [and cook it] for him!’
Yet after this son of yours returned, who has devoured his substance with loose women, you have killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 But his father said to him, ‘My son, you have always been with me, and all my property [that I did not give to your brother] has been yours.
But he said to him: ‘Son, you are with me always, and all that I have is yours.
32 But [it is as though] [MET] your brother was dead and is alive again! [It is as though] he was lost and now he has been found! So it is appropriate for us to be happy and celebrate!’”
But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’”
