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

LUKE 15

One Sheep

(Matthew 18.12-14)

1  t Tax collectorst and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus.

2 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, “This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this story:
4 If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder

6 and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.”

7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don't need to.”

One Coin

8 Jesus told the people another story:
What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them? Won't she light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it?

9 Then she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found the coin I lost.”

10 Jesus said, “In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”

Two Sons

11 Jesus told them yet another story:
Once a man had two sons.

12 The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living.

14 He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.
15 He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs.t

16 He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, t but no one gave him a thing.
17 Finally, he came to his senses and said, “My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! 18 I will go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you.

19 I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’ ”

20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”
22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandalst for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate.

24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
25 The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing.

26 So he called one of the servants over and asked, “What's going on here?”
27 The servant answered, “Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf.”

28 The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house.
His father came out and begged him to go in. 29 But he said to his father, “For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends.

30 This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast.”
31 His father replied, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found.”