¹² How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray? ¹³ And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray. ¹⁴ Even so it is not ^[a]the will of ^[b]your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

15 Now all the ^[a]publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

³ And he spake unto them this parable, saying, ⁴ What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁵ And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷ I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.