Luke 15:11-32

WNT(i) 11 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, "'Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided his wealth between them. 13 No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess. 14 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want. 15 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine; 16 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any. 17 "But on coming to himself he said, "'How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger! 18 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you: 19 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.' 20 "So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly. 21 "'Father,' cried the son, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.' 22 "But the father said to his servants, "'Fetch a good coat quickly--the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet. 23 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves; 24 for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry. 25 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing. 26 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant. 27 "'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.' 28 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him. 29 "'All these years,' replied the son, 'I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends; 30 but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.' 31 "'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours. 32 We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"