Luke 15:1-21 ▼

1 Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and other notorious sinners, to hear Him.

2 And the pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man entertaineth wicked persons, and eateth with them.

3 But He spake to them this parable,

4 saying, What man of you that hath an hundred sheep, and loseth one of them, doth not leave the ninety-nine in the field, and go after that which was lost, till he find it?

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

6 and coming home, he calleth his friends and neighbors together and saith unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 Thus, I tell you, there shall be joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, that have no need of repentance.

8 Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and search carefully till she find it?

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

10 Thus, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one repenting sinner.

11 And He said, a certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father,

12 Father, give me the portion that falleth to my share. And he divided his substance between them.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together and went abroad into a distant country, and there squandered away his substance by living luxuriously.

14 And when he had spent all, there happen'd a grievous famine in that country, and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and let himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would gladly have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat: and no man relieved him.

17 But coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I am perishing with hunger?

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

19 and am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.

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

21 And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son.