Luke 15

Modern

Literal

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.

¹Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to Him to hear Him.

²So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

²And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³Then Jesus told them this parable:

³And He spoke to them this parable, saying,

⁴“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

⁴“What man of you, having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he should find it?

⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,

⁵And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁶comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’

⁶And having come to the house, he calls together the friends and the neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep, the lost one!’

⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

⁷I say to you that thus there will be joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸Or what woman who has ten silver coins^a and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?

⁸Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she should lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully until she should find it?

⁹And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’

⁹And having found it, she calls together the friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I found the drachma that I lost.’

¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

¹⁰Thus, I say to you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

¹¹Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.

¹¹And He said, “A certain man had two sons.

¹²The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹²And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give to me the portion of the substance falling to me.’ And he divided the livelihood between them.

¹³After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

¹³And after not many days, the younger son, having gathered together all, went away into a far country, and there he scattered his substance living prodigally.

¹⁴After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.

¹⁴But on his having spent all, there was a strong famine throughout that country, and he began to lack.

¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

¹⁵And having gone, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

¹⁶He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.

¹⁶And he was desiring to fill his belly from the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving to him.

¹⁷Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death!

¹⁷But having come to himself, he was saying, ‘How many hired men of my father have an abundance of loaves, but here I am perishing with hunger?

¹⁸I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

¹⁸Having risen up, I will go to my father and I will say to him, “Father, I sinned against heaven and before you;

¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

¹⁹no longer am I worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men.”’

²⁰So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

²⁰And having risen up, he went to his father. But on his still being distant, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and having run, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.

²¹The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^a

²¹And the son said to him, ‘Father, I sinned against heaven and before you; no longer am I worthy to be called your son.’

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

²²And the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet;

²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.

²³and having brought the fattened calf, kill it, and having eaten, let us be merry,

²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁴because this son of mine was dead and lived again! He was lost and was found!’ And they began to be merry.

²⁵Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁵And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming, he drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

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

²⁶And having summoned one of the servants, he was inquiring what these things might be.

²⁷‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁷And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father killed the fattened calf, because he received him back in good health.’

²⁸The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

²⁸But he was angry and was not willing to go in. And his father, having gone, was imploring him.

²⁹But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

²⁹But answering, he said to his father, ‘Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I transgress a commandment of yours, and never did you give to me a young goat so that I might be merry with my friends.

³⁰But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³⁰But when this son of yours came, the one having devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

³¹‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.

³¹And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

³²But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

³²But it was fitting to be merry and to rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and lived again; and he was lost and was found.’”