Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him.

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

2And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, "This man welcomes 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 told them this parable:

3So Jesus told them this story:

4"What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one 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?

5When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,

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

6and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!'

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

7I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need 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 who has 10 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?

9When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin 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.’

10I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels 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

11He also said: "A man had two sons.

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

12The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.' So he distributed the assets to them.

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.

13Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish 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.

14After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.

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

15Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

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

16He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.

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.

17When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of 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'll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

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

19I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.'

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

20So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around 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.

21The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I'm 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 told his slaves, Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger 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.

23Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let's celebrate with a feast,

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

24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate.

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; as he came near 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 summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

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

27Your brother is here,' he told him, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

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"Then he became angry and didn't want to go in. So 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,

29But he replied to his father, Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate 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 when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened 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"Son,' he said to him, you are always with me, and everything 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.

32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he 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!’”

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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.