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

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

³He 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 ?

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

⁶When he comes home , he calls together his friends and his neighbours , saying to them , ‘ Rejoice with me , for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

⁷I 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 .

⁸“ Or 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 ?[#15:8 A drachma coin was worth about a days wages for an agricultural labourer.]

⁹When she has found it , she calls together her friends and neighbours , saying , ‘ Rejoice with me , for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’

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

¹¹He said , “ A certain man had two sons .

¹²The younger of them said to his father , ‘ Father , give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them .

¹³Not many days after , the younger son gathered all of this together and travelled into a far country . There he wasted his property with riotous living .

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

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

¹⁶He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate , but no one gave him any .

¹⁷But 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 !

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

¹⁹I am no more worthy to be called your son . Make me as 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 , fell on his neck , and kissed him .

²¹The 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 sandals on his feet .

²³Bring the fattened calf , kill it , and let ’s eat and celebrate ;

²⁴for this , my son , was dead and is alive again . He was lost and is found .’ Then they began to celebrate .

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

²⁶He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on .

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

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

²⁹But 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 .

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

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

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