Luke 15
1 The tax-gatherers and the outcasts were all drawing near to Jesus to listen to him;
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
2 but the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law found fault. “This man always welcomes outcasts, and takes meals with them!” they complained.
The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."
3 So Jesus told them this parable —
He told them this parable.
4 “What man 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 till he finds it?
"Which one of you, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
5 And, when he has found it, he puts in on his shoulders rejoicing;
When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 and, on reaching home, he calls his friends and his neighbours together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’
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.'
7 So, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one outcast that repents, than over ninety-nine religious men, who have no need to repent.
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.
8 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?
Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, would not light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
9 And, when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, and says ‘Come and rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost.’
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 So, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one outcast that repents.”
Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."
11 Then Jesus continued: “A man had two sons;
He said, "A certain man had two sons.
12 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.
The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his livelihood between them.
13 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.
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.
14 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.
When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and engaged himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 He even longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods on which the pigs were feeding; and no one gave him anything.
And he wanted to fill himself with the carob pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
17 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!
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 here with hunger.
18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him “Father, I sinned against Heaven and against you;
I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.
19 I am no longer fit to be called your son; make me one of your hired servants.”’
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
20 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 round his neck and kissed him.
"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, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 ‘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.’
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.'
22 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;
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quickly, bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
23 and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate;
24 for here is my son who was dead, and is alive again, was lost, and is found.’ So they began making merry.
for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate.
25 Meanwhile the elder son was out in the fields; but, on coming home, when he got near the house, he heard music and dancing,
"Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 and he called one of the servants and asked what it all meant.
He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.
27 ‘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.’
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.'
28 This made him angry, and he would not go in. But his father came out and begged him to do so.
But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and pleaded with him.
29 ‘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 kid, so that I might have a merry-making with my friends.
But he answered his father, 'Look, 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.
30 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.’
But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'
31 ‘Child,’ the father answered, ‘you are always with me, and everything that I have is yours.
"He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 We could but make merry and rejoice, for here is your brother who was dead, and is alive; who was lost, and is found.’”
But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; and he was lost, and is found.'"
