Luke 15

¹Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to him to hear him.

²And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'

³And he told them this parable, saying:

⁴Which man among you, having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

⁵And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁶And having come to his house, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep, the one that was lost.'

⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.

⁸Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully until she finds it?

⁹And having found it, she calls together her friends and her neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma that I lost.'

¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

¹¹And he said, 'A certain man had two sons.'

¹²And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of the property that is due me.' And he divided his assets between them.

¹³And after not many days, having gathered together all, the younger son journeyed to a distant country, and there squandered his estate, living prodigally.

¹⁴When he had spent everything, a severe famine arose throughout that country, and he himself began to be in need.

¹⁵And going, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

¹⁶And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one was giving him anything.

¹⁷But having come to himself, he said, 'How many hired servants of my father have more than enough bread, but I am perishing here with hunger!'

¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;'

¹⁹and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.

²⁰And he arose and came to his own father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and running he fell upon his neck and kissed him.

²¹Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'

²²And the father said to his servants, 'Quickly, bring out the best 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 be merry.

²⁴'For this my son was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

²⁵Now his elder son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶And calling one of his servants, he was inquiring what these things might be.

²⁷And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf, because he received him back safe and sound.'

²⁸But he was angry and refused to go in. And his father, coming out, was pleading with him.

²⁹But he answered and said to his father, 'Look, all these years I have served you as a slave, and I never transgressed a commandment of yours; yet you never gave me a young goat so that I might be merry with my friends.'

³⁰But when this son of yours who had devoured your livelihood with prostitutes came, you have killed the fattened calf for him.

³¹And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.'

³²But it was necessary to celebrate and to rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come to life, and was lost and has been found.