Study Desk

"Suppose one of you has 100 sheep, but one of them gets lost. What will you do? You will leave the other 99 sheep there in the field and go out and look for the lost sheep. You will continue to search for it until you find it.

"Suppose a woman has ten silver coins, but she loses one of them. She will take a light and clean the house. She will look carefully for the coin until she finds it.

He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.

"The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, ‘All my father's hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.'

"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 good sandals on his feet.

My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!' So they began to have a party.

But he said to his father, ‘Look, for all these years I have worked like a slave for you. I have always done what you told me to do, and you never gave me even a young goat for a party with my friends.

But then this son of yours comes home after wasting your money on prostitutes, and you kill the best calf for him!'

But this was a day to be happy and celebrate. Your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found.'"

Jesus said to them, "You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. What people think is important is worth nothing to God.

"Before John the Baptizer came, people were taught the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets. But since the time of John, the Good News about God's kingdom is being told. And everyone is trying hard to get into it.

But even the smallest part of a letter in the law cannot be changed. It would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away.

"But Abraham said, ‘My child, remember when you lived? You had all the good things in life. But Lazarus had nothing but problems. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering.

"But Abraham said, ‘They have the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to read; let them learn from that.'

"The rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham! But if someone came to them from the dead, then they would decide to change their lives.'

"But Abraham said to him, ‘If your brothers won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen to someone who comes back from the dead.'"

Jesus said to his followers, "Things will surely happen that will make people sin. But it will be very bad for anyone who makes this happen.

Even if they do something wrong to you seven times in one day, but they say they are sorry each time, you should forgive them."

But the men shouted, "Jesus! Master! Please help us!"