1 A nd all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,

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

2 a nd the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying -- This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'

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

3 A nd he spake unto them this simile, saying,

So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4 ` What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find 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 having found, he doth lay on his shoulders rejoicing,

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

6 a nd having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep -- the lost one.

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 ` I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

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 ` Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?

“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 having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I 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 ` So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'

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, `A certain man had two sons,

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

12 a nd the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to, and he divided to them the living.

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 ` And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;

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 he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to 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 a nd having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,

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 was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.

And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 ` And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!

“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 h aving risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee,

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19 a nd no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.

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

20 ` And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;

“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 did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy 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 ` And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the 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 having brought the fatted calf, kill, and having eaten, we may be 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 did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

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

25 ` And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to 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 near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,

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

27 a nd he said to him -- Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.

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 ` And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him;

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

29 a nd he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;

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 thy son -- this one who did devour thy living with harlots -- came, thou didst kill to him the fatted 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 ` And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32 b ut to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was 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.’”