Luke 15

Thomson^{(i) 1} As the publicans and sinners were all continually resorting to him to hear him, ² when the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them; ³ he then spake this parable to them, saying, ⁴ What man among you having a hundred sheep, doth not, upon losing one of them, leave the ninety nine in the wilderness and go in search of that which is lost until he find it? ⁵ And having found it, doth he not joyfully lay it on his shoulders; ⁶ and upon coming home call together his friends, and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found the sheep which was lost? ⁷ Thus, I assure you, there will be greater joy in heaven for one reforming sinner, than for ninety nine righteous persons who have no need of reformation. ⁸ Or what woman having ten drachmas doth not, if she lose one of them, light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search diligently until she find it? ⁹ And having found it, doth she not assemble her female friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma which was lost? ¹⁰ Thus, I assure you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God for one reforming sinner. ¹¹ He said also, a certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that portion of the estate which falleth to my share. So he divided the moveable estate between them. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son having gathered all together, took a journey to a distant country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there came a grievous famine over all that country, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ So he went and connected himself with one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his farm to feed swine, ¹⁶ and he was fain to fill his belly with the carob pods which the swine were eating, as nobody gave him any thing. ¹⁷ At length, coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing with hunger? ¹⁸ I will rise and go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, ¹⁹ and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ²⁰ Accordingly he arose and went to his father. But he keeping yet at a distance, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. ²¹ Whereupon the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²² But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him; and put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring out the fatted calf and kill it. And let us eat and be joyful; ²⁴ because this my son was dead and is come to life. He was indeed lost and is now found. So they began to be merry. ²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field. And as he was coming home and drew near the house, he heard the musick and dancing. ²⁶ Whereupon calling one of the servants, he enquired what might be the occasion of this. ²⁷ And he said to him, It is because thy brother is come: and thy father hath killed the fatted calf because he hath received him in good health. ²⁸ At this he was angry and would not go in. His father therefore went out and entreated him. ²⁹ But he answering, said to his father, Behold these many years that I have served thee without ever disobeying thy command, thou hast never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends: ³⁰ but soon as this son of thine is come, who hath devoured thy substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. ³¹ In reply, to which his father said to him, Son, thou art always with me; and all that I have is thine. ³² But we ought to feast and rejoice because this thy brother was dead and is come to life. He was indeed lost and is now found.