Luke 15:1-23

¹Now the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him.

²And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

³And he spoke to them this parable, saying:

⁴What man of you that hath an hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it?

⁵And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing:

⁶And coming home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost?

⁷I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance.

⁸Or what woman having ten groats; if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?

⁹And when she hath found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost.

¹⁰So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.

¹¹And he said: A certain man had two sons:

¹²And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his substance.

¹³And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance, living riotously.

¹⁴And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.

¹⁵And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine.

¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.

¹⁷And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father’s house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger?

¹⁸I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee:

¹⁹I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

²⁰And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.

²¹And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son.

²²And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: