The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ And he said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his^[a] father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that is coming to me.’ So he divided his^[b] assets between them. ¹³ And after not many days, the younger son gathered everything and^[c] went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth by^[d] living wastefully. ¹⁴ And after^[e] he had spent everything, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ And he went and^[f] hired 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 with^[g] the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving anything^[h] to him.

¹⁷ “But when he^[i] came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have an abundance of food,^[j] and I am dying here from hunger! ¹⁸ I will set out and^[k] go to my father and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight!^{[l] 19} I am no longer worthy to be called your son! Make me like one of your hired workers.’ ²⁰ And he set out and^[m] came to his own father. But while^[n] he was still a long way away, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him^[o] and kissed him. ²¹ And his^[p] son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight!^[q] I am no longer worthy to be called your son!’ ²² But his^[r] father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it^[s] on him, and put a ring on his finger^[t] and sandals on his^[u] feet! ²³ And bring the fattened calf—kill it^[v] and let us eat and^[w] celebrate, 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 and^[x] approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he summoned one of the slaves and^[y] asked 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 and^[z] began to implore^[aa] him. ²⁹ But he answered and^[ab] said 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.^{[ac] 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!’”