Luke 15:1-23

¹Then resorted vnto him all the Publicanes and sinners, to heare him.

²Therefore the Pharises and Scribes murmured, saying, Hee receiueth sinners, and eateth with them.

³Then spake hee this parable to them, saying,

⁴What man of you hauing an hundreth sheepe, if hee lose one of them, doeth not leaue ninetie and nine in the wildernesse, and goe after that which is lost, vntill he finde it?

⁵And when he hath found it, he laieth it on his shoulders with ioye.

⁶And when he commeth home, he calleth together his friendes and neighbours, saying vnto them, Reioyce with mee: for I haue founde my sheepe which was lost.

⁷I say vnto you, that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth, more then for ninetie and nine iust men, which neede none amendment of life.

⁸Either what woman hauing ten groates, if she lose one groate, doth not light a candle, and sweepe the house, and seeke diligently till shee finde it?

⁹And when shee hath found it, shee calleth her friendes, and neighbours, saying, Reioyce with me: for I haue found the groate which I had lost.

¹⁰Likewise I say vnto you, there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God, for one sinner that conuerteth.

¹¹He sayde moreouer, A certaine man had two sonnes.

¹²And the yonger of them sayde to his father, Father, giue mee the portion of the goods that falleth to mee. So he deuided vnto them his substance.

¹³So not many daies after, when the yonger sonne had gathered all together, hee tooke his iourney into a farre countrey, and there hee wasted his goods with riotous liuing.

¹⁴Nowe when hee had spent all, there arose a great dearth throughout that land, and he began to be in necessitie.

¹⁵Then hee went and claue to a citizen of that conntrey, and hee sent him to his farme, to feede swine.

¹⁶And hee would faine haue filled his bellie with the huskes, that the swine ate: but no man gaue them him.

¹⁷Then he came to him selfe, and said, Howe many hired seruaunts at my fathers haue bread ynough, and I die for hunger?

¹⁸I wil rise and goe to my father, and say vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heaue, and before thee,

¹⁹And am no more worthy to be called thy sonne: make me as one of thy hired seruants.

²⁰So hee arose and came to his father, and when hee was yet a great way off, his father sawe him, and had compassion, and ranne and fell on his necke, and kissed him.

²¹And the sonne sayde vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and before thee, and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne.

²²Then the father said to his seruaunts, Bring foorth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feete,

²³And bring the fat calfe, and kill him, and let vs eate, and be merie: