Luke, 15

1. The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,

1. The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him,

2. but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

2. and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'

3. So to them he addressed this parable.

3. So he told them this parable:

4. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

4. 'Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it?

5. And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy

5. And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders

6. and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

6. and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost."

7. I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

7. In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.

8. "Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?

8. 'Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it?

9. And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'

9. And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found the drachma I lost."

10. In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

10. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.'

11. Then he said, "A man had two sons,

11. Then he said, 'There was a man who had two sons.

12. and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.

12. The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them.

13. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

13. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

14. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.

14. 'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch;

15. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.

15. so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs.

16. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.

16. And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them.

17. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.

17. Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger!

18. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

18. I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;

19. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'

19. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men."

20. So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

20. So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him.

21. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'

21. Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son."

22. But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

22. But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

23. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,

23. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast,

24. because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.

24. because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate.

25. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

25. 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing.

26. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.

26. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about.

27. The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

27. The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound."

28. He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.

28. He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in;

29. He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

29. but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends.

30. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'

30. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loose women -- you kill the calf we had been fattening."

31. He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.

31. 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours.

32. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

32. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." '