Luke 15
1 Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;
Now the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him.
2 and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 So in figurative language He asked them,
And he spoke to them this parable, saying:
4 "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?
What man of you that hath an hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it?
5 And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing:
6 Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together, and says, 'Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--the one I had lost.'
And coming home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost?
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.
I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance.
8 "Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully till she finds it?
Or what woman having ten groats; if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?
9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, and says, "'Congratulate me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'
And when she hath found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost.
10 "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."
So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.
11 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.
And he said: A certain man had two sons:
12 The younger of them said to his father, "'Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided his wealth between them.
And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his substance.
13 No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess.
And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance, living riotously.
14 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want.
And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
15 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;
And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine.
16 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.
17 "But on coming to himself he said, "'How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger!
And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father’s house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger?
18 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you:
I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee:
19 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 "So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly.
And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.
21 "'Father,' cried the son, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.'
And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son.
22 "But the father said to his servants, "'Fetch a good coat quickly--the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet.
And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
24 for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.
Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
Now his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing:
26 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 "'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'
And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe.
28 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him.
And he was angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him.
29 "'All these years,' replied the son, 'I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends;
And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends:
30 but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.'
But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 "'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.
But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me, and all I have is thine.
32 We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"
But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.
