< Luke 15 >

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
Now the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him.
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 He told them this parable:
And he spoke to them this parable, saying:
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 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 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing:
6 When 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!’
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 even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no 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, 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 groats; if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?
9 When 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!’
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 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
And he said: A certain man had two sons:
12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood 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 Not 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.
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 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, 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 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!
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 get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee:
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy 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.
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 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.’
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, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on 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 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
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 in the field. As he came near to the house, 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 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 He 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: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe.
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
And he was angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him.
29 But 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.
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 when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened 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 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me, and all I have is thine.
32 But 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 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.

< Luke 15 >