What man is there of you, possessing an hundred sheep, though he lose but one of them, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

I tell you, that just so will there be joy in heaven over one repentant sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who hold not their need of repentance.

What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them stray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine in the mountains, and go and seek that which had strayed?

And if he happen to find it, verily I say unto you, that he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which never went astray.