Luke 15

Parables of the Lost Luke 15:3–10

³Verse 3. He told them this parable. ⁴Verse 4. “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? ⁵Verse 5. When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶Verse 6. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷Verse 7. I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

⁸Verse 8. Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? ⁹Verse 9. When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.’ ¹⁰Verse 10. Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

The Prodigal Son's Return Luke 15:11–24

¹¹Verse 11. He said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹²Verse 12. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. ¹³Verse 13. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. ¹⁴Verse 14. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵Verse 15. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

¹⁶Verse 16. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. ¹⁷Verse 17. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! ¹⁸Verse 18. I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. ¹⁹Verse 19. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰Verse 20. “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

²¹Verse 21. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²Verse 22. “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³Verse 23. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; ²⁴Verse 24. for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate.

The Elder Brother's Resentment Luke 15:25–32

²⁵Verse 25. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶Verse 26. He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. ²⁷Verse 27. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ ²⁸Verse 28. But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. ²⁹Verse 29. But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

³⁰Verse 30. But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹Verse 31. “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²Verse 32. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”