Jephthah

⁶ Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.^(A) They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths,^(B) and the gods of Aram,^(C) the gods of Sidon,^(D) the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites^(E) and the gods of the Philistines.^(F) And because the Israelites forsook the Lord^(G) and no longer served him, ⁷ he became angry^(H) with them. He sold them^(I) into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, ⁸ who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead,^(J) the land of the Amorites. ⁹ The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah,^(K) Benjamin and Ephraim;^(L) Israel was in great distress. ¹⁰ Then the Israelites cried^(M) out to the Lord, “We have sinned^(N) against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”^(O)

¹¹ The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians,^(P) the Amorites,^(Q) the Ammonites,^(R) the Philistines,^{(S) 12} the Sidonians, the Amalekites^(T) and the Maonites^[a](U) oppressed you^(V) and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? ¹³ But you have forsaken^(W) me and served other gods,^(X) so I will no longer save you. ¹⁴ Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save^(Y) you when you are in trouble!^(Z)”

¹⁵ But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best,^(AA) but please rescue us now.” ¹⁶ Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord.^(AB) And he could bear Israel’s misery^(AC) no longer.^(AD)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep^(A)

15 Now the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”^(C)

³ Then Jesus told them this parable:^{(D) 4} “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?^{(E) 5} And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’^{(F) 7} I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.^(G)

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’^{(H) 10} In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”^(I)

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.^{(J) 12} The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’^(K) So he divided his property^(L) between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth^(M) in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.^{(N) 16} He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned^(O) against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.^(P)

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.^(Q) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe^(R) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger^(S) and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(T) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.^(U)

²⁵ “Meanwhile, 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 and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry^(V) and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property^(W) with prostitutes^(X) comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(A) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(B) Wash your hands,^(C) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(D) you double-minded.^{(E) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(F) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(G)