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The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹ Now all the ^(C1)tax collectors and the ^(F1)sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.² And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, "This man receives sinners and ^(C1)eats with them."

³ So He told them this parable, saying,⁴ "^(C1)What man among you, if he has one hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the ^(F1)open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?⁵ "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.⁶ "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'⁷ "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Drachma

⁸ "Or what woman, if she has ten ^(F1)drachmas and loses one ^(F1)drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?⁹ "And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the ^(F1)drachma which I had lost!'¹⁰ "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy ^(C1)in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

¹¹ And He said, "A man had two sons.¹² "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me ^(C1)the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his ^(F1)(C2)wealth between them.¹³ "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly.¹⁴ "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.¹⁵ "So he went and ^(F1)hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.¹⁶ "And he was desiring to be fed with the ^(F1)pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.¹⁷ "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!¹⁸ 'I will rise up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you.¹⁹ "I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'²⁰ "So he rose up and came to ^(F1)his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and ^(F2)(C1)embraced him and kissed him.²¹ "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'²² "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out ^(C1)the best robe and put it on him, and ^(C2)put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet,²³ and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate,²⁴ for this son of mine was ^(C1)dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

²⁵ "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.²⁶ "And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be.²⁷ "And 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.'²⁸ "But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him.²⁹ "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I ^(F1)neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends.³⁰ 'But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your ^(F1)(C1)wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'³¹ "And he said to him, 'Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.³² 'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was ^(C1)dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.'"