Read the Bible

The Lost Sheep

¹ Now all the ^(C1)tax collectors and ^(F1)sinners were coming near ^(F2)Jesus to listen to Him.² And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, "This Man receives sinners and ^(C1)eats with them."

³ And so He told them this parable, saying,⁴ "^(C1)What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the ^(F1)open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?⁵ "And when he has found it, he puts 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, because I have found my sheep that 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 people who have no need of repentance.

The Lost Coin

⁸ "Or what woman, if she has ten ^(F1)silver coins and loses one coin, 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, because I have found the coin 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 Prodigal Son

¹¹ And He said, "A man had two sons.¹² "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me ^(C1)the share of the estate that ^(F1)is coming to me.' And so he divided his ^(F2)(C2)wealth between them.¹³ "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate in ^(F1)wild living.¹⁴ "Now when he had ^(F1)spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began doing without.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 pigs.¹⁶ "And he longed to have his fill of the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving him anything.¹⁷ "But when he came to ^(F1)his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired laborers have more than enough bread, but I am dying here ^(F2)from hunger!¹⁸ 'I will set out and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and ^(F1)in your sight;¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired laborers."'²⁰ "So he set out and came to ^(F1)his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and ^(F2)(C1)embraced him and kissed him.²¹ "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and ^(F1)in your sight; 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 ^(F1)(C2)put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet;²³ and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let's 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 he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.²⁷ "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.'²⁸ "But he became angry and was not willing 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 I have never ^(F1)neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave 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 slaughtered the fattened calf for him.'³¹ "And he said to him, 'Son, you ^(F1)have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.³² 'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was ^(C1)dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"