New King James Version

New Living Translation

1Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.

2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

3So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

3So Jesus told them this story:

4“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

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

5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Parable of the Lost Coin

8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?

9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’

9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

10Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Parable of the Lost Son

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

11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.

12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!

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

18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

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

19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. ’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

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

24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on.

27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,

29So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.

30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.

32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.