Luke 15

¹Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to him to listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes kept grumbling, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

³So he told them this parable: ⁴"Which man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵And finding it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And coming home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!' ⁷I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who is repenting than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

⁸"Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹And finding it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma I had lost!' ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who is repenting."

¹¹And he said, "A certain man had two sons. ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' So he divided his livelihood between them. ¹³And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property living dissolutely. ¹⁴And when he had spent everything, a severe famine came upon that country, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶And he was longing to fill his belly with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one was giving him anything.

¹⁷But coming to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough bread, while I am perishing here from hunger! ¹⁸I will rise and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.' ²⁰And he rose and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved in his gut, and running, he fell upon his neck and kissed him again and again. ²¹And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

²²But the father said to his servants, 'Quickly! Bring out the finest robe and clothe him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³And bring the fattened calf—slaughter it—and let us eat and celebrate! ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

²⁵Now his elder son was in the field. And as he was coming and drew near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶And summoning one of the servants, he asked what this might be. ²⁷And he told him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' ²⁸But he became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and was pleading with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I have been slaving for you, and I have never disobeyed a command of yours, yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours came—the one who devoured your livelihood with prostitutes—you slaughtered the fattened calf for him!'

³¹But he said to him, 'Child, you are always with me, and everything that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"