2. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3. So Jesus told them this parable:
4. “Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?
5. Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6. Returning home, he calls together his 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 sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
8. “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?
9. Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
10. In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
11. Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons.
12. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them.
13. After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.
14. Then 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 for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.