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A Lost Sheep, a Lost Coin

¹ The tax collectors and sinners all came to listen to Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain: "Look, this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them."

³ Then Jesus told them this story: ⁴ "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep but loses one of them. Then he will leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the open field and go out and look for the lost sheep until he finds it. ⁵ And when he finds it, he happily puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. He calls to his friends and neighbors and says, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep.' ⁷ In the same way, I tell you there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life, than over ninety-nine good people who don't need to change.

⁸ "Suppose a woman has ten silver coins,^[a] but loses one. She will light a lamp, sweep the house, and look carefully for the coin until she finds it. ⁹ And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Be happy with me because I have found the coin that I lost.' ¹⁰ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner changes his heart and life."

The Son Who Left Home

¹¹ Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the property.' So the father divided the property between his two sons. ¹³ Then the younger son gathered up all that was his and traveled far away to another country. There he wasted his money in foolish living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, a time came when there was no food anywhere in the country, and the son was poor and hungry. ¹⁵ So he got a job with one of the citizens there who sent the son into the fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ The son was so hungry that he wanted to eat the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ When he realized what he was doing, he thought, ‘All of my father's servants have plenty of food. But I am here, almost dying with hunger. ¹⁸ I will leave and return to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against God and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son, but let me be like one of your servants."' ²⁰ So the son left and went to his father.

"While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for his son. So the father ran to him and hugged and kissed him. ²¹ The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'^{[b] 22} But the father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ And get our fat calf and kill it so we can have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!' So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ "The older son was in the field, and as he came closer to the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called to one of the servants and asked what all this meant. ²⁷ The servant said, ‘Your brother has come back, and your father killed the fat calf, because your brother came home safely.' ²⁸ The older son was angry and would not go in to the feast. So his father went out and begged him to come in. ²⁹ But the older son said to his father, ‘I have served you like a slave for many years and have always obeyed your commands. But you never gave me even a young goat to have at a feast with my friends. ³⁰ But your other son, who wasted all your money on prostitutes, comes home, and you kill the fat calf for him!' ³¹ The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² We had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found.'"