¹Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to Him, to hear Him.

²And both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying that this man receives sinners and eats with them.

³Then He spoke this parable to them, saying:

⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the one that has been lost, until he finds it?

⁵And when he had found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing,

⁶and when he had come to the house, he calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that had been lost!

⁷I say to you that in the same way there will be joy in the heaven over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of change of heart.

⁸Or what woman, having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully until she finds it?

⁹And when she had found it, she calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying: Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma that I lost.

¹⁰Thus I say to you, there is joy before the messengers of God over one sinner repenting.

¹¹Then He said: A certain man had two sons.

¹²And the younger of them said to the father: Father, give to me the portion of the property that is due to me. Then he divided the property between them.

¹³And after not many days, when he had gathered together all things, the younger son went away into a distant country, and there he wasted his estate, living prodigally.

¹⁴However, when he was spending everything, there arose a severe famine throughout that country, and he himself began to be in need.

¹⁵And having gone, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

¹⁶And he was longing to be fed his stomach from the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving to him.

¹⁷However, when he had come to himself, he was saying: How many hired servants of my father have abundance of bread, however I myself here am perishing with hunger!

¹⁸When I had risen up, I will go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against the heaven and before you;

¹⁹and no longer am I worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your servants.

²⁰And when he had risen up, he went to his father. Still now, while he was being far distant, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and when he had run, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.

²¹Then the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against the heaven and before you; and no longer am I worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your servants.

²²Then the father said to his slaves: Quickly bring out the best robe and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet,

²³and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and having eaten, let us be merry,

²⁴for this my son was dead and is alive again, and he had been lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

²⁵Now his elder son was in the field, and while coming up, he drew near to the house, and he heard music and dancing.

²⁶And having called near one of his servants, he was inquiring what these things would be.

²⁷And he said to him that your brother is come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him in good health.

²⁸However, he was angry and was not willing to go in. And his father, when he had gone, was begging him.

²⁹And answering, he said to his father: Behold, so many years I serve you, and never did I disobey your commandment, and to me yourself you never gave a young goat, that with my friends I may make merry.

³⁰When however this your son came, the one when you had devoured your living with the prostitutes, you have killed for him the fattened calf.

³¹And he said to him: Child, you yourself are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

³²However, it was fitting to make merry and to rejoice, because this your brother was dead and is alive, and was lost and is found.