Luke 15
Young's Literal Translation
15 And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,
2 and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying -- This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.'
3 And he spake unto them this simile, saying,
4 `What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?
5 and having found, he doth lay [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,
6 and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep -- the lost one.
7 `I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.
8 `Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?
9 and having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I lost.
10 `So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'
11 And he said, `A certain man had two sons,
12 and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.
13 `And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
14 and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;
15 and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,
16 and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.
17 `And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!
18 having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee,
19 and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.
20 `And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;
21 and the son said to him, Father, I did sin -- to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.
22 `And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;
23 and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,
24 because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.
25 `And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,
26 and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,
27 and he said to him -- Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.
28 `And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him;
29 and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;
30 but when thy son -- this one who did devour thy living with harlots -- came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf.
31 `And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;
32 but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.'
Luke 15
New International Reader's Version
The Story of the Lost Sheep
15 The tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were whispering among themselves. They said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them a story. 4 He said, “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Won’t he leave the 99 in the open country? Won’t he go and look for the one lost sheep until he finds it? 5 When he finds it, he will joyfully put it on his shoulders 6 and go home. Then he will call his friends and neighbors together. He will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin. Yes, there will be more joy than for 99 godly people who do not need to turn away from their sins.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the house? Won’t she search carefully until she finds the coin? 9 And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors together. She will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost coin.’ 10 I tell you, it is the same in heaven. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”
The Story of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son spoke to his father. He said, ‘Father, give me my share of the family property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living. 14 He spent everything he had. Then the whole country ran low on food. So the son didn’t have what he needed. 15 He went to work for someone who lived in that country. That person sent the son to the fields to feed the pigs. 16 The son wanted to fill his stomach with the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.
17 “Then he began to think clearly again. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food! But here I am dying from hunger! 18 I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you. 19 I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. He was filled with tender love for his son. He ran to him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattest calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants. He asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come home,’ the servant replied. ‘Your father has killed the fattest calf. He has done this because your brother is back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father went out and begged him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I have always obeyed your orders. You never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me. Everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad. This brother of yours was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ ”
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