1 N ow the tax collectors and '> especially wicked] sinners were all coming near to to listen to Him.

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.

2 A nd the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering and indignantly complaining, saying, This man accepts and receives and welcomes '> preeminently wicked] sinners and eats with them.

Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 S o He told them this parable:

So He told them this parable, saying,

4 W hat man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

“ What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

5 A nd when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 A nd when he gets home, he summons together friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost.

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!’

7 T hus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one '> especially] wicked person who repents ( changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.

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. The Lost Coin

8 O r what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it?

“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

9 A nd when she has found it, she summons her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost.

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!’

10 E ven so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one '> especially] wicked person who repents ( changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The Prodigal Son

11 A nd He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;

And He said, “A man had two sons.

12 A nd the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls. And he divided the estate between them.

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.

13 A nd not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose living.

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.

14 A nd when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.

Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

15 S o he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 A nd he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the carob pods that the hogs were eating, but nobody gave him anything.

And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

17 T hen when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!

But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!

18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

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

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’

20 S o he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him '> fervently].

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

21 A nd 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!

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.’

22 B ut the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

23 A nd bring out that fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry,

and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

24 B ecause this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.

for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 B ut his older son was in the field; and as he returned and came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 A nd having called one of the servant to him, he began to ask what this meant.

And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.

27 A nd he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed that fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and well.

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.’

28 B ut was angry and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him,

But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

29 B ut he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me a kid, that I might revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends;

But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

30 B ut when this son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you have killed for him that fattened calf!

but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

31 A nd the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

32 B ut it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”