1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to hear him.
2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!"
3 So he told them this parable, saying,
4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it?
5 And [when he] has found [it], he places [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And [when he] returns to [his] home, he calls together [his] friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!'
7 I tell you that 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 of repentance.
8 Or what woman who has ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds [it]?
9 And [when she] has found [it], she calls together [her] friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma that I had lost!'
10 In the [same] way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11 And he said, "A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to [his] father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that is coming to [me].' So he divided [his] assets between them.
13 And after not many days, the younger son gathered everything [and] went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth [by] living wastefully.
14 And [after] he had spent everything, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
15 And he went [and] hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
16 And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving [anything] to him.
17 "But [when he] came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have an abundance {of food}, and I am dying here from hunger!
18 I will set out [and] go to my father and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and {in your sight}!
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son! Make me like one of your hired workers.'
20 And he set out [and] came to his own father. But [while] he was still a long way away, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran {and embraced him} and kissed him.
21 And [his] son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and {in your sight}! I am no longer worthy to be called your son!'
22 But [his] father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on [his] feet!
23 And bring the fattened calf--kill [it] and let us eat [and] celebrate,
24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again! He was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.
25 "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came [and] approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he summoned one of the slaves [and] asked what these [things] meant.
27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has gotten him back healthy.'
28 But he became angry and did not want to go in. So his father came out [and] began to implore him.
29 But he answered [and] said to his father, 'Behold, so many years I have served you, and have never disobeyed your command! And you never gave me a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!
30 But when this son of yours returned--who has consumed your assets with prostitutes--you killed the fattened calf for him!'