1 N ow all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.

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

2 T he Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

And 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.

3 H e told them this parable.

So He told them this parable:

4 “ 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?

What 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?

5 W hen he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 W hen 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!’

And 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.

7 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.

Thus, 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.

8 O r 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?

Or 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?

9 W hen 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.’

And 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.

10 E ven so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

Even 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).

11 H e said, “A certain man had two sons.

And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;

12 T he younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them.

And 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.

13 N ot 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.

And 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.

14 W hen he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.

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

15 H e went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

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

16 H e wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.

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

17 B ut 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!

Then 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!

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

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.

19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’

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

20 “ 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.

So 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].

21 T he 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 “ 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.

But 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.

23 B ring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate;

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

24 f or this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate.

Because 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.

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

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

26 H e called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.

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

27 H e said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’

And 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.

28 B ut he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him.

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

29 B ut 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 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;

30 B ut when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

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

31 “ He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

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

32 B ut it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”

But 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!