The Lost Sheep
(Matthew 18.12-14)1 One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, 2 the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, “This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!” 3 So Jesus told them this parable:
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them—what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. 5 When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders 6 and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbors together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.
The Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman who has ten silver coins loses one of them—what does she do? She lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and looks carefully everywhere until she finds it. 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says to them, ‘I am so happy I found the coin I lost. Let us celebrate!’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.”
The Lost Son
11 Jesus went on to say, “There was once a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the property now.’ So the man divided his property between his two sons. 13 After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. 14 He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. 15 So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. 16 He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. 17 At last he came to his senses and said, ‘All my father's hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! 18 I will get up and go to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you. 19 I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and started back to his father.
“He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms around his son, and kissed him. 21 ‘Father,’ the son said, ‘I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’ 22 But the father called to his servants. ‘Hurry!’ he said. ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. 23 Then go and get the prize calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast! 24 For this son of mine was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.’ And so the feasting began.
25 “In the meantime the older son was out in the field. On his way back, when he came close to the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him, ‘What's going on?’ 27 ‘Your brother has come back home,’ the servant answered, ‘and your father has killed the prize calf, because he got him back safe and sound.’ 28 The older brother was so angry that he would not go into the house; so his father came out and begged him to come in. 29 But he spoke back to his father, ‘Look, all these years I have worked for you like a slave, and I have never disobeyed your orders. What have you given me? Not even a goat for me to have a feast with my friends! 30 But this son of yours wasted all your property on prostitutes, and when he comes back home, you kill the prize calf for him!’ 31 ‘My son,’ the father answered, ‘you are always here with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.’”
1 Then resorted vnto him all the Publicanes and sinners, to heare him. 2 Therefore the Pharises and Scribes murmured, saying, Hee receiueth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 Then spake hee this parable to them, saying, 4 What 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? 5 And when he hath found it, he laieth it on his shoulders with ioye. 6 And 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. 7 I 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. 8 Either 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? 9 And 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. 10 Likewise I say vnto you, there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God, for one sinner that conuerteth. 11 He sayde moreouer, A certaine man had two sonnes. 12 And 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. 13 So 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. 14 Nowe when hee had spent all, there arose a great dearth throughout that land, and he began to be in necessitie. 15 Then hee went and claue to a citizen of that conntrey, and hee sent him to his farme, to feede swine. 16 And hee would faine haue filled his bellie with the huskes, that the swine ate: but no man gaue them him. 17 Then he came to him selfe, and said, Howe many hired seruaunts at my fathers haue bread ynough, and I die for hunger? 18 I wil rise and goe to my father, and say vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heaue, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy sonne: make me as one of thy hired seruants. 20 So 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. 21 And the sonne sayde vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and before thee, and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne. 22 Then 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, 23 And bring the fat calfe, and kill him, and let vs eate, and be merie: 24 For this my sonne was dead, and is aliue againe: and he was lost, but he is found. And they began to be merie. 25 Nowe the elder brother was in the fielde, and when he came and drewe neere to the house, he heard melodie, and dauncing, 26 And called one of his seruaunts, and asked what those things meant. 27 And hee sayde vnto him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatte calfe, because he hath receiued him safe and sound. 28 Then he was angry, and would not goe in: therefore came his father out and entreated him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, Loe, these many yeeres haue I done thee seruice, neither brake I at any time thy commadement, and yet thou neuer gauest mee a kidde that I might make merie with my friends. 30 But when this thy sonne was come, which hath deuoured thy good with harlots, thou hast for his sake killed the fat calfe. 31 And he said vnto him, Sonne, thou art euer with me, and al that I haue, is thine. It was meete that we shoulde make merie, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is aliue againe: and hee was lost, but he is found.