Luke 15

1All the tax collectors and sinners kept coming close to hear him.

2But the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering, “This man accepts sinners and shares meals with them.”

3So he told them this parable:

4“Which of you who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go looking for the lost one until he finds it?

5When he finds it, he lifts it onto his shoulders, full of joy.

6Then he goes home, calls in his friends and neighbors, and says to them, ‘Share my joy, for I have found my sheep, the one that was lost!’

7I tell you, it is like that in heaven: there will be more joy there over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

8Or which woman who owns ten drachmas and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep out the house, and hunt for it carefully until she finds it?

9When she finds it, she calls in her friends and neighbors and says, ‘Share my joy, for I have found the drachma I had lost!’

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

11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.

12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided what he had to live on between them.

13Only a few days later, the younger son collected everything he owned and went off to a faraway country, where he scattered his wealth in wild, wasteful living.

14When he had used it all up, a terrible famine swept through that land, and he started to go without.

15He went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out to his fields to tend pigs.

16He wished he could fill up on the carob pods the pigs were eating, yet nobody would give him anything.

17Coming to his senses, he said, ‘Think how many hired workers my father has, all with more bread than they need—and here I am, perishing with hunger!

18I will get up and make my way to my father, and I will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Let me be like one of your hired workers.”’

20He got up and came back to his own father. But while he was still far away, his father caught sight of him, and his heart went out to him. He ran to him, flung his arms around his neck, and kissed him tenderly.

21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22But the father told his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring out the finest robe and clothe him with it. Slip a ring onto his hand and sandals onto his feet.

23Bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us feast 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 elder son, meanwhile, was out in the field. As he came back and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26He summoned one of the young servants and asked what all this could be.

27He told him, ‘Your brother is here, and because your father has him back in good health, he has slaughtered the fattened calf.’

28But the elder son grew angry and would not go in. His father then came out and kept appealing to him.

29He replied to his father, ‘Listen! For so many years I have worked for you like a slave, and I have never once gone against your orders. Yet you have never once given me a young goat for celebrating with my friends.

30But when this son of yours showed up, the one who ate up your livelihood on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him!’

31The father said to him, ‘Child, you are with me all the time, and all that I have belongs to you.

32But it was right that we celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”