Luke 15

RKJNT^{(i) 1} Then all the tax gatherers and sinners drew near to hear him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them. ³ And he spoke this parable to them, saying, ⁴ What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷ I say to you, that likewise there shall be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who do not need to repent. ⁸ Or what woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the coin which I had lost. ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. ¹¹ And he said, A certain man had two sons: ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me my part of the estate. So he divided his property between them. ¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered everything together, and took a journey into a far country, and there wasted his estate with riotous living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ And he went and hired himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods the swine were eating: but no man gave him anything. ¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, ¹⁹ And am no longer worthy to be called your son: treat me as one of your hired servants. ²⁰ And he arose, and went to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. ²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet: ²³ And bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him back safe and sound. ²⁸ And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore his father came out, and pleaded with him. ²⁹ And he answered his father, Lo, these many years I have served you and never disobeyed your commandment: and yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours comes home, who has devoured your estate with prostitutes, you kill for him the fatted calf. ³¹ And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² But we had to make merry, and be glad: for this brother of yours was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.