The Sheep and the Coin That Were Lost
1All the tax collectors and sinners kept coming near to listen to him, 2and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled among themselves: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3So he told them this parable: 4“Which of you, owning a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he lifts it onto his shoulders, delighted, 6and coming home he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Celebrate with me, because I have found my sheep, the one that was lost.’ 7I tell you, in just this way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8Or what woman with ten drachmas, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Celebrate with me, because I have found the drachma I lost.’ 10In just this way, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Father and His Two Sons
11Then he said: “A man had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided his living between them. 13Not many days later the younger son gathered everything together and left for a distant country, and there he squandered his property on reckless living. 14When he had spent it all, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to go hungry. 15So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill himself with the pods the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17Then he came to himself and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more bread than they can eat, and here I am dying of hunger. 18I will get up and go to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired men.’ 20So he got up and went to his father. While he was still a long way off his father saw him, and his heart went out to him, and he ran and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. 21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the finest 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 us eat and celebrate, 24because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25His older son was out in the field, and as he came back and drew near the house he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the servant boys over and asked what all this meant. 27The boy told him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28Then he grew angry and refused to go in, so his father came out and pleaded with him. 29He answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed an order of yours, and you never gave me so much as a young goat to celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours turns up, the one who has eaten up your living with prostitutes, for him you kill the fattened calf.’ 31The father said to him, ‘My child, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
