Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 All(A) the tax collectors(B) and sinners were approaching to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners(C) and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable:(D) 4 “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them,(E) does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field[a] and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven(F) over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman who has ten silver coins,[b][c] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ 10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels(G) over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets[d] to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered(H) his estate in foolish living.(I) 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.[e] 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.(J) 16 He longed to eat his fill from[f] the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. 17 When he came to his senses,[g] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger![h] 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned(K) against heaven(L) and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy(M) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.(N) He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed(O) him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe(P) and put it on him; put a ring(Q) on his finger and sandals(R) on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf(S) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(T) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’[i]
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets[j] with prostitutes,(U) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “‘Son,’[k] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,(V) and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
16 Now he said to the disciples, “There was a rich(W) man who received an accusation that his manager(X) was squandering(Y) his possessions. 2 So he called the manager in and asked, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management,(Z) because you can no longer be my manager.’
3 “Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig; I’m ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I’ll do so that when I’m removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
5 “So he summoned each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first one.
6 “‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he said.
“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
7 “Next he asked another, ‘How much do you owe?’
“‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he said.
“‘Take your invoice,’ he told him, ‘and write eighty.’
8 “The master praised the unrighteous manager(AA) because he had acted shrewdly. For the children of this age(AB) are more shrewd than the children of light(AC) in dealing with their own people.[l] 9 And I tell you, make friends(AD) for yourselves by means of worldly wealth[m](AE) so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings. 10 Whoever is faithful(AF) in very little(AG) is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. 11 So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with what is genuine? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own? 13 No(AH) servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate(AI) one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Kingdom Values
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money,(AJ) were listening to all these things and scoffing(AK) at him. 15 And he told them, “You are the ones who justify(AL) yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts.(AM) For what is highly admired by people is revolting(AN) in God’s sight.
16 “The(AO) Law and the Prophets(AP) were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God(AQ) has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it.[n] 17 But it is easier(AR) for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.
18 “Everyone(AS) who divorces(AT) his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,(AU) and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen,(AV) feasting lavishly every day. 20 But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate.(AW) 21 He longed to be filled(AX) with what fell from the rich man’s table,(AY) but instead the dogs(AZ) would come and lick his sores. 22 One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side.[o](BA) The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torment(BB) in Hades,(BC) he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. 24 ‘Father Abraham!’(BD) he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony(BE) in this flame!’
25 “‘Son,’[p] Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things,(BF) just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here,(BG) while you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’
27 “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 because I have five brothers—to warn(BH) them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets;(BI) they should listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”(BJ)
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