Matthew 18:10-14 - The Parable Of The Lost Sheep

¹⁰ "See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. ¹¹ For the Son of Man came to save the lost." ¹² "What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn't he? ¹³ If he finds it, I tell all of you with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven't strayed. ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost."

¹ Now all the tax collectors and sinners kept coming to listen to Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the scribes kept complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

³ So he told them this parable: ⁴ "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. He leaves the 99 in the wilderness and looks for the one that is lost until he finds it, doesn't he? ⁵ When he finds it, he puts it on his shoulders and rejoices. ⁶ Then he goes home, calls his friends and neighbors together, and says to them, "Rejoice with me, because I've found my lost sheep!' ⁷ In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent."