1 Now all the tax-collectors and notorious sinners were crowding around Him to listen to Him.
2 And so the Pharisees and scribes continually grumbled, and said, "This fellow is welcoming notorious sinners, and even eating with them."
3 So He told them the following story:
4 "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep, and if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and continue to look for the lost one until he finds it?
5 And when he finds it, with joy he puts it on his shoulders,
6 and when he reaches home he calls in his friends and neighbors, and says to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!'
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinful person who repents than over ninety-nine upright people who do not need any repentance.
8 "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house, and look carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she finds it, she calls in her friends and neighbors, and says, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I lost!'
10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinful person who repents!"
11 Then He said: "There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' So he divided his property between them.
13 Not many days after that, the younger son got together all he had and went away to a distant country, and there he squandered all his property by living in dissipation.
14 After he had spent it all, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to suffer want.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, and he sent him to his fields to feed hogs.
16 And often he craved to fill himself with the carob-pods which the hogs were eating, and nobody gave him a bite.
17 Then he came to himself and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more to eat than they need, and here I am dying of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your opinion;
19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; just treat me like one of your hired men."'
20 So he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and his heart was moved with pity for him, and he ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him affectionately.
21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your opinion; I no longer deserve to be called your son; just treat me like one of your hired men.'
22 But his father said to his slaves, 'Bring out at once a robe, yes, the finest one, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet;
23 take the fattening calf and kill it, and let us feast and celebrate,
24 because this son of mine was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found!' So they began to celebrate.
25 "Now his elder son was in the field. So, on coming in, as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 Then he called one of the servant-boys and asked him what this meant.
27 He said to him, 'Your brother has come back, and your father has killed the fattening calf, because he has gotten him back safe and sound.'
28 So he became angry and would not go into the house. Then his father came out and began to plead with him.
29 But he answered his father, 'See! I have served you all these years and have never disobeyed a command of yours, but you have never given me even a kid, so that I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours arrives, who has eaten up your property with immoral women, you have killed for him the fattening calf.'