The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to hear him.
2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
3 So he told them this parable, saying,
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the grassland and go after the one that was lost until he finds it?
5 And when hehas found it,he places iton his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when hereturns to hishome, he calls together hisfriends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’
7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 Or what woman who has ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And when shehas found it,she calls together herfriends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma that I had lost!’
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 And he said, “A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to hisfather, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that is coming to me.’ So he divided hisassets between them.
13 And after not many days, the younger son gathered everything andwent on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth byliving wastefully.
14 And afterhe had spent everything, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
15 And he went andhired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to tend pigs.
16 And he was longing to fill his stomach withthe carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving anythingto him.
17 “But when hecame to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have an abundance of food,and I am dying here from hunger!
18 I will set out andgo to my father and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight!
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son! Make me like one of your hired workers.’
20 And he set out andcame to his own father. But whilehe was still a long way away, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced himand kissed him.
21 And hisson said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight!I am no longer worthy to be called your son!’
22 But hisfather said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put iton him, and put a ring on his fingerand sandals on hisfeet!
23 And bring the fattened calf—kill itand let us eat andcelebrate,
24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came andapproached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he summoned one of the slaves andasked what these things meant.
27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has gotten him back healthy.’
28 But he became angry and did not want to go in. So his father came out andbegan to implorehim.
29 But he answered andsaid to his father, ‘Behold, so many years I have served you, and have never disobeyed your command! And you never gave me a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!
30 But when this son of yours returned—who has consumed your assets with prostitutes—you killed the fattened calf for him!’
31 But he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and everything I have belongs to you.
32 But it was necessary to celebrate and to rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead, and is alive, and was lost, and is found!’ ”
—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/38/32k/LUK/15-1a063ddb7133f0be5541a22a353102aa.mp3?version_id=90—