1 All the tax collectors and sinners kept coming near to listen to him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 So he told them this parable:
4 "Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 When he finds it, he puts it on his shoulders, full of joy.
6 Back at home, he calls his friends and neighbors together and tells them, 'Celebrate with me, because I have found my lost sheep!'
7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need repentance.
8 "Or what woman who has ten drachmas and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?
9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Celebrate with me, because I have found the drachma I lost!'
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11 He went on: "A man had two sons.
12 The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the part of the estate that is coming to me.' So he divided his property between them.
13 A few days later the younger son packed up everything and set off for a distant country, and there he wasted his estate by living wildly.
14 After he had spent it all, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to go without.
15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.
17 "Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough bread, while here I am dying of hunger!
18 I will get up and go to my father and tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers."'
20 "So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
21 The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the finest robe and dress him in it; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate,
24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.
25 "Meanwhile his older son was out in the field. As he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants over and asked what was going on.
27 He told him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf, because he has got him back safe and well.'
28 But he became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and kept urging him.
29 He answered his father, 'Look, all these years I have been slaving for you, and I never disobeyed an order of yours, yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours came, who has eaten up your property with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him!'
31 His father said to him, 'Child, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and has been found.'"