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15:1-32 Now all the tax-collectors and the
sinners were drawing near to hear him.
The Pharisees and the scribes
murmured about this saying "This man receives sinners and eats with
them." And he spoke a parable
to them (the latter) saying "What man of you who has a hundred sheep
and loses one of them does not leave the nine-nine in the desert and go
after the one who was lost until he finds it? And on finding it he places it on his
shoulders rejoicing. Then coming
into his house he calls together his friends and neighbours saying to them. "Celebrate with me because I found
my sheep which had been lost."
I tell you that there is joy like that in heaven over one sinner who
repents rather than over the nine-nine just ones who have no need of
repentance. Or what woman who has
ten drachmaes who, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and
sweep the house and seek carefully until she finds it. And on finding it she calls together her
friends and neighbours saying "Celebrate with me because I found the
drachma which I had lost." So I
tell you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who
repents." And he also said
"There was a certain man who had two sons. The younger of them said to the
father. "Father give me my
share of the
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property." So he divided up the living for
them. And after not many days, the
younger son, having gathered up all his things, departed to a far away
country. There he spent his property by living lavishly. When he had spent all his money there
came a severe famine throughout that country and he began to be in
want. Going he joined (up with) one
of the citizens of that country and he sent him into the fields to feed
pigs. And he (the son) longed to
feed his stomach with the very husks that the pigs ate but nobody gave any
to him. So he thought to
himself. "How many of the hired
servants of my father have an abundance of bread. But I am perishing here with the
famine. Rising up I will go (back)
to my father and I will say to him. "Father I have sinned against
heaven and before you. I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.
Make me rather as one of your hired servants." And so rising up (the son) came to the
father himself. Yet while he was
still far away his father saw him and was moved with pity. (The father) ran and fell on the neck of (the son) and
fervently kissed him. And the son
said to him. "Father I have
sinned against heaven and before you.
I am not
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worthy
to be called your son." But the
father said to his slaves. "Go
quickly and bring out the best robe and clothe him. Give him a ring on his hand and sandals
to his feet. Bring in the fattened
calf to kill it and on eating it let us celebrate and be merry." But
meanwhile the (father's) older son was in a field and as he came near the
house he heard music and dancing. So
calling one of the lads to him he asked what was going on. The latter said to him. "Your brother has come (home) and
your father has killed the fattened calf to celebrate his home-coming. But he (the older brother) was angry and
did not want to go in. So his father
came out and besought him. But he
(the older brother) answered and said to the father. "Look I have served you for many
years and have never disobeyed any of your requests. And you have never given me a goat so
that I could party with my friends.
But when this son of yours, who after devouring his living with
harlots has come back, you have killed the fattened calf for
him." And he (the father) said
to him. "Son you are always
with me and everything that I have is yours." Yet it is right for us to celebrate
because your brother who has been dead has
come to life and being lost has been found."
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