CHAPTER 15
“What
man
among
you,
if he has
a hundred
sheep
and
loses
one
of
them,
does not
leave
the
ninety-nine
in
the
pasture
and
go
after
the one
that is lost,
until
he finds
it?
comes
home,
and calls together
his
friends
and
neighbors
to tell
them,
‘Rejoice with
me,
for
I have found
my
lost
sheep!’
In the same way,
I tell
you
that
there will be more
joy
in
heaven
over
one
sinner
who repents
than
over
ninety-nine
righteous ones
who
do
not
need
to repent.
Or
what
woman
who has
ten
silver coins
and
loses
one
of them
does not
light
a lamp,
sweep
her
house,
and
search
carefully
until
she finds
it?
And
when she finds it,
she calls together
her
friends
and
neighbors
to say,
‘Rejoice with
me,
for
I have found
my
lost
coin.’
In the same way,
I tell
you,
there is
joy
in the presence
of God’s
angels
over
one
sinner
who repents.”
The
younger
son
said
to
him,
‘Father,
give
me
my
share
of the
estate.’
So
he divided
his
property
between them.
After
a few
days,
the
younger
son
got everything together
and journeyed
to
a distant
country,
where
he squandered
his
wealth
in wild
living.
After
he
had spent
all he had,
a severe
famine
swept
through
that
country,
and
he
began
to be in need.
So
he went
and hired himself out
to a
citizen
of that
country,
who
sent
him
into
his
fields
to feed
the pigs.
He longed
to fill
his
belly
with
the
pods
the
pigs
were eating,
but
no one
would give
him a thing .
Finally
he came
to
his senses
and said,
‘How many
of
my
father’s
hired servants
have plenty
of food?
But
here
I am,
starving
to death!
I will get up
and go back
to
my
father
and
say
to him,
“Father,
I have sinned
against
heaven
and
against
you.
So
he got up
and went
to
his
father.
But while
he was
still
in the distance,
his
father
saw
him
and
was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son,
embraced him,
and
kissed
him.
The
son
declared,
‘Father,
I have sinned
against
heaven
and
against
you.
I am
no longer
worthy
to be called
your
son.’
But
the
father
said
to
his
servants,
‘Quick!
Bring
the
best
robe
and
put it on
him.
Put
a ring
on
his
finger
and
sandals
on
his
feet.
For
this
son
of mine
was
dead
and
is alive again!
He was
lost
and
is found!’
So
they began
to celebrate.
Meanwhile
the
older
son
was
in
the field,
and
as
he approached
the
house,
he heard
music
and
dancing.
‘Your
brother
has returned,’
he said,
‘and
your
father
has killed
the
fatted
calf,
because
he has him back
safe and sound.’
But
he answered
his
father,
‘Look,
all these
years
I have served
you
and
never
disobeyed
a commandment
of yours.
Yet
you never gave
me
even a young goat
so
I could celebrate
with
my
friends.
But
when
this
son
of yours
returns from
squandering
your
wealth
with
prostitutes,
you kill
the
fatted
calf
for him!’
But
it was fitting
to celebrate
and
rejoice,
because
this
brother
of yours
was
dead
and
is alive again;
he was lost
and
is found.’”