Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Now all the tax
collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. The Pharisees and the scribes
murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with
them."
He told them this
parable. "Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost
one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go
after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries
it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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 even so there
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over
ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn't
light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
When she has found it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me,
for I have found the drachma which I had lost.' Even so, I tell you, there is
joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
repenting."
The Parable of the Lost Son
He said, "A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his
father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his
livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger
son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There
he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it,
there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
He went and joined
himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his
fields to feed pigs. He
wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave
him any. But when he
came to himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have
bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my
father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
in your sight. I am no
more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired
servants."'
"He arose, and came to his
father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved
with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 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
servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his
hand, and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill
it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and
is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate.
"Now his elder son was in
the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
He called one of the
servants to him, and asked what was going on. He said to him, 'Your brother
has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has
received him back safe and healthy.' But he was angry, and would not
go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. But he answered his father,
'Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a
commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate
with my friends. But
when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him.'
"He said to him, 'Son, you
are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to
celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive
again. He was lost, and is found.'"
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