English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. | 1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. |
2And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” | 2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! |
3So he told them this parable: | 3So Jesus told them this story: |
4“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? | 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? |
5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. | 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. |
6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ | 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ |
7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. | 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Parable of the Lost Coin |
8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? | 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? |
9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ | 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ |
10Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” | 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Parable of the Lost Son |
11And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. | 11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. |
12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. | 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. |
13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. | 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. |
14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. | 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. |
15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. | 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. |
16And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. | 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. |
17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! | 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! |
18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. | 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, |
19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ | 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ |
20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. | 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. |
21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ | 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. ’ |
22But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. | 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. |
23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. | 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, |
24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. | 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. |
25“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. | 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, |
26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. | 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. |
27And 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.’ | 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ |
28But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, | 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, |
29but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. | 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. |
30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ | 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ |
31And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. | 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. |
32It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” | 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” |
ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|