Luke 15

Occasions for celebration

1 All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him.

2 The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 Jesus told them this parable:4 “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it?5 And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders.6 When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’

7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives.
8 "Or what woman, if she owns ten silver coins and loses one of them, won’t light a lamp and sweep the house, searching her home carefully until she finds it?9 When she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost coin.’

10 In the same way, I tell you, joy breaks out in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who changes both heart and life."
11 Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons.12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them.

13 Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living.
14 “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need.15 He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.16 He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything.17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death!18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.19 I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands." ’

20 So he got up and went to his father.
“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him.21 Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet!23 Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting

24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 "Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing.26 He called one of the servants and asked what was going on.27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’28 Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him.29 He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.30 But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’31 Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

32 But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’"

Luke 15

The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin

1 Now all the tax collectorss and sinners were comingt to hear him.

2 Butt the Phariseess and the experts in the lawt were complaining,t “This man welcomest sinners and eats with them.”
3 Sot Jesust told thems this parable:t4 “Which onet of you, if he has a hundreds sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasturet and go look fort the one that is lost until he finds it?s5 Thent when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6 Returningt home, he calls togethers hist friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’

7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinners who repents than over ninety-nine righteous peoplet who have no need to repent.t
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coinss and losest one of them,t does not light a lamp, sweept the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?9 Thent when she has found it, she calls together hert friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoices with me, for I have found the coint that I had lost.’

10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angelss over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Compassionate Father

11 Thent Jesust said, “A man had two sons.12 Thet younger of them said to hist father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estatet that will belongt to me.’ Sot he divided hist assets between them.s13 Aftert a few days,t the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squanderedt his wealtht with a wild lifestyle.14 Thent after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need.15 So he went and worked fort one of the citizens of that country, whot sent him to his fields to feed pigs.s16 Het was longing to eatt the carob podst the pigs were eating, butt no one gave him anything.17 But when he came to his sensest he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have foodt enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger!18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinneds against heavens and againstt you.19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat met like one of your hired workers.”’20 Sot he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from homet his father saw him, and his heart went out to him;ts he ran and huggedt his sont and kissed him.21 Thent his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heavens and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’s22 But the father said to his slaves,t ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe,s and put it on him! Put a ring on his fingert and sandalss on his feet!23 Bringt the fattened calft and kill it! Let us eatt and celebrate,

24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’s Sot they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. Ast he came and approached the house, he heard musics and dancing.26 Sot he called one of the slavest and asked what was happening.27 The slave replied,t ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calft because he got his sont back safe and sound.’28 But the older sont became angryt and refuseds to go in. His father came out and appealed to him,29 but he answeredt his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slavet for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yett you never gave me even a goats so that I could celebrate with my friends!30 But when this son of yourss came back, who has devoureds your assets with prostitutes,s you killed the fattened calfs for him!’31 Thent the fathert said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.

32 It was appropriatet to celebrate and be glad, for your brothers was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”s