New Living Translation

King James Bible

1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.

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

2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

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

3So Jesus told them this story:

3And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

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?

4What 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 has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

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

6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

6And 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, 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

7I 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 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?

8Either 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 when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

9And 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, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Parable of the Lost Son

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

11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.

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

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.

12And 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 this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

13And 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 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

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

15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

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

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.

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

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!

17And 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 go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

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

19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

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

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.

20And 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 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. ’

21And 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 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.

22But 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 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

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

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.

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

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

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

26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on.

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

27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

27And 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 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,

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

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.

29And 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 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

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

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.

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

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!’”

32It 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.

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.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.