Now all
the atax
collectors
and the 1sinners
were coming
near
Him to listen
to Him.
Both the Pharisees
and the scribes
began to grumble
, saying
, "This
man
receives
sinners
and aeats
with them."
So He told
them this
parable
, saying
,
" aWhat man
among
you, if he has
a hundred
sheep
and has lost
one
of them, does not leave
the ninety-nine
in the 1open
pasture
and go
after
the one which is lost
until
he finds
it?
"When he has found it, he lays
it on his shoulders
, rejoicing
.
"And when he comes home
, he calls
together
his friends
and his neighbors
, saying
to them, `Rejoice
with me, for I have found
my sheep
which was lost
!'
"I tell you that in the same
way
, there will be more joy
in heaven
over
one
sinner
who repents
than
over
ninety-nine
righteous
persons
who
need
no
repentance
.
"Or what
woman
, if
she has
ten
1silver
coins
and loses
one
coin
, does not light
a lamp
and sweep
the house
and search
carefully
until
she finds
it?
"When she has found it, she calls
together
her friends
and neighbors
, saying
, `Rejoice
with me, for I have found
the coin
which
I had lost
!'
"In the same way
, I tell
you, there is joy
ain the presence
of the angels
of God
over
one
sinner
who repents
."
And He said, "A man
had
two
sons
.
"The younger of them said
to his father
, `Father
, give
me athe share
of the estate
that falls
to me.' So
he divided
his 1 bwealth
between
them.
"And not many days
later
, the younger
son
gathered
everything
together
and went
on a journey
into a distant
country
, and there
he squandered
his estate
with loose
living
.
"Now when he had spent
everything
, a severe
famine
occurred
in that country
, and he began
to be impoverished
.
"So he went
and 1hired
himself out to one
of the citizens
of that country
, and he sent
him into his fields
to feed
swine
.
"And he would have gladly filled
his stomach
with the 1pods
that the swine
were eating
, and no
one
was giving
anything to him.
"But when he came to 1his senses
, he said
, `How
many
of my father's
hired
men
have
more
than
enough
bread
, but I am dying
here
with hunger
!
`I will get up and go
to my father
, and will say
to him, "Father
, I have sinned
against
heaven
, and 1in your sight
;
I am no
longer
worthy
to be called
your son
; make
me as one
of your hired
men
."'
"So he got
up and came
to 1his father
. But while he was still
a long
way
off
, his father
saw
him and felt
compassion
for him, and ran
and 2 aembraced
him and kissed
him.
"And the son said
to him, `Father
, I have sinned
against
heaven
and in your sight
; I am
no
longer
worthy
to be called
your son
.'
"But the father said
to his slaves
, `Quickly
bring
out athe best
robe
and put
it on him, and bput
a ring
on his hand
and sandals
on his feet
;
and bring the fattened
calf
, kill
it, and let us eat
and celebrate
;
for this son
of mine
was adead
and has come
to life
again
; he was lost
and has been found
.' And they began
to celebrate
.
"Now his older
son
was in the field
, and when
he came
and approached
the house
, he heard
music
and dancing
.
"And he summoned one
of the servants
and began inquiring
what
these
things
could be.
"And he said to him, `Your brother
has
come
, and your father
has killed
the fattened
calf
because
he has received
him back
safe
and sound
.'
"But he became angry and was not willing
to go
in; and his father
came
out and began pleading
with him.
"But he answered and said
to his father
, `Look
! For so
many
years
I have been serving
you and I have never
1neglected
a command
of yours
; and yet you have never
given
me a young
goat
, so
that I might celebrate
with my friends
;
but when this
son
of yours
came
, who has devoured
your 1 awealth
with prostitutes
, you killed
the fattened
calf
for him.'
"And he said to him, `Son
, you 1have always
been
with me, and all
that is mine
is yours
.
`But we had to celebrate
and rejoice
, for this
brother
of yours
was adead
and has begun to live
, and was lost
and has been found
.' "