Luke 15
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.
3 He told them this parable:
And he made a story for them, saying,
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?
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.
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 when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbours and friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which had gone away.
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.
I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart.
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 what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care till she sees 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 it again, she gets her friends and neighbours together, saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had gone from me.
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
And he said, A certain 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 that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods 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.
And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, 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 his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food!
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 will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your 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 far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
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.’
And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
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 said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad.
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be.
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.’
And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in.
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.
But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast 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 when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all 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.’”
But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
