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

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear 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.

And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 S o He told them this parable:

So He spoke this parable to them, 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 of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, 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.

And 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 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 say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. The Parable of 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, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, 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.

And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I 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).

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The Parable of the Lost Son

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

Then He said: “A certain 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.

And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

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 after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal 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.

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

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.

Then he went and joined himself to a citizen 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 gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

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 himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish 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 arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

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

and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

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].

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck 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, and 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 servants, ‘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 fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

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 my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

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 as he came and drew near to 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.

So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

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 because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

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

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded 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;

So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry 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 as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted 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 are always with me, and all that I have 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!

It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”