The Parable of the Prodigal Son

¹¹ And He said, “A man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me ^(A)the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his ^[a](B)wealth between them. ¹³ And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly. ¹⁴ Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. ¹⁵ So he went and ^[b]hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he was desiring to be fed with the ^[c]pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. ¹⁷ But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will rise up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ ²⁰ So he rose up and came to ^[d]his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and ^[e](C)embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out ^(D)the best robe and put it on him, and ^(E)put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, ²³ and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate, ²⁴ for this son of mine was ^(F)dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him. ²⁹ But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I ^[f]neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your ^[g](G)wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was ^(H)dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’”