1. Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming to Him to hear Him.
2. And the Pharisees and scribes grumbled, saying, “This One receives sinners and eats with them.”
3. And He spoke this parable to them, saying,
4. “What man among you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5. “And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6. “And having come home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
7. “I say to you that in the same way there shall be more joy in the heaven over one sinner repenting, than over ninety-nine righteous ones who need no repentance.
8. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she finds it?
9. “And having found it, she calls friends and neighbours together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost!’
10. “I say to you, in the same way there is joy in the presence of the messengers of Elohim over one sinner repenting.”
11. And He said, “A certain man had two sons,
12. and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods falling to me.’ And he divided his livelihood between them.
13. “And not many days after, the younger son, having gathered all together, went away to a distant country, and there wasted his goods with loose living.
14. “And when he had spent all, there arose a severe scarcity of food throughout that land, and he began to be in need.
15. “And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16. “And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods which the pigs were eating, and no one gave to him.
17. “But having come to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I am perishing with hunger!
18. ‘Having risen, I shall go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against the heaven, and before you,
19. and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20. “And having risen, he went to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21. “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against the heaven, and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22. “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23. ‘And bring the fattened calf here and slaughter it, and let us eat and rejoice,
24. because this son of mine was dead and is alive again, and he was lost and is found.’ And they began to rejoice.
25. “And his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26. “And having called one of the servants he asked what this meant.
27. “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received him back in health.’
28. “And he was wroth and would not go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
29. “And answering, he said to his father, ‘See, these many years I have been serving you, and I have never transgressed a command of yours, but to me you have never given a young goat, so I could rejoice with my friends.
30. ‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with whores, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31. “Then he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all I have is yours.
32. ‘And we had to rejoice and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive, and was lost and is found.’ ”