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

¹⁰ "See to it that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father in heaven. ¹¹ "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. ¹² "How does it seem to you, when a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them? Will he not leave the ninety and nine on the hills, to go and search for the one that has strayed? ¹³ "And if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you solemnly that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine that never strayed away. ¹⁴ "Just so it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

¹ Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "He is welcoming sinners and eating with them!"

³ And he told them a parable. ⁴ "Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ "And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing. ⁶ "When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' ⁷ "I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.