15:1 Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;

15:2 and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"

15:3 So in figurative language He asked them,

15:4 "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?

15:5 And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.

15:6 Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together, and says, `Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--the one I had lost.'

15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.

15:8 "Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully till she finds it?

15:9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, and says, "`Congratulate me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'

15:10 "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."

15:11 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.

15:12 The younger of them said to his father, "`Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided his wealth between them.

15:13 No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess.

15:14 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want.

15:15 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;

15:16 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.

15:17 "But on coming to himself he said, "`How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger!

15:18 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you:

15:19 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'

15:20 "So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly.

15:21 "`Father,' cried the son, `I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.'

15:22 "But the father said to his servants, "`Fetch a good coat quickly--the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet.

15:23 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;

15:24 for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.

15:25 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.

15:26 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.

15:27 "`Your brother has come,' he replied; `and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'

15:28 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him.

15:29 "`All these years,' replied the son, `I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends;

15:30 but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.'

15:31 "`You my dear son,' said the father, `are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.