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

All the tax-gatherers and sinners were coming to hear Jesus.

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

The proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law began to speak against Him. They said, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

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

Then Jesus told them a picture-story, 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 if one of you had one hundred sheep and you lost one of them? Would you not leave the ninety-nine in the country and go back and look for the one which was lost until you find it?

5 a nd having found, he doth lay on his shoulders rejoicing,

When you find it, you are happy as you carry it back on your shoulders.

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.

Then you would go to your house and call your friends and neighbors. You would say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I have found my sheep that 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 tell you, there will be more joy in heaven because of one sinner who is sorry for his sins and turns from them, than for ninety-nine people right with God who do not have sins to be sorry for. The Picture-Story of the Lost Piece of Money

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?

“What if a woman has ten silver pieces of money and loses one of them? Does she not light a lamp and sweep the floor and look 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.

When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together. She says to them, ‘Be happy with me. I have found the piece of money I had lost.’

10 ` So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'

I tell you, it is the same way among the angels of God. If one sinner is sorry for his sins and turns from them, the angels are very happy.” The Picture-Story of the Foolish Son Who Spent All His Money

11 A nd he said, `A certain man had two sons,

And Jesus said, “There was a man who 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.

The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, let me have the part of the family riches that will be coming to me.’ Then the father divided all that he owned between his two sons.

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;

Soon after that the younger son took all that had been given to him and went to another country far away. There he spent all he had on wild and foolish living.

14 a nd he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;

When all his money was spent, he was hungry. There was no food in the land.

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,

He went to work for a man in this far away country. His work was to feed pigs.

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.

He was so hungry he was ready to eat the outside part of the ears of the corn the pigs ate because 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!

“He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry.

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 get up and go to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

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

I am not good enough to be called your son. But may I be as one of the workmen you pay to work?”’

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;

“The son got up and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving-pity for him. He ran and threw his arms around him 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.

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough 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 the workmen he owned, ‘Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.

23 a nd having brought the fatted calf, kill, and having eaten, we may be merry,

Bring the calf that is fat and kill it. Let us eat and be glad.

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 my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.’

25 ` And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,

“The older son was out in the field. As he was coming near 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,

He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.

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.

The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come back and your father has killed the fat calf. Your brother is in the house and is well.’

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

The older brother was angry and would not go into the house. His father went outside and asked him to come in.

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;

The older son said to his father, ‘All these many years I have served you. I have always obeyed what you said. But you never gave me a young goat so I could have a supper and a good time 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 back, you killed the fat calf. And yet he wasted your money with bad women.’

31 ` And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;

“The father said to him, ‘My son, you are with me all the time. 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 is right and good that we should have a good time and be glad. Your brother was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.’”