Luke, 15

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

1. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

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

2. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3. So he told them this parable:

3. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

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?

4. What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

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

5. And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing.

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."

6. And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

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.

7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

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?

8. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find [it]?

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."

9. And when she hath found [it], she calleth [her] friends and [her] neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

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

10. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

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

11. And he said, A certain man had two sons:

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.

12. And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living.

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.

13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

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

14. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

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

15. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

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

16. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

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!

17. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

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

18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

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

19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

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.

20. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

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

21. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

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.

22. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet:

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

23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry:

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.

24. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

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.

25. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

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

26. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

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."

27. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

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

28. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

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.

29. And he answering said to [his] father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

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."

30. But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

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

31. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

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." '

32. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.