New Living Translation

English Standard Version

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

1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

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

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

3So Jesus told them this story:

3So he told them this parable:

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

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?

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

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.’

9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’

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

10Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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

11And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.

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.

12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

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.

13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

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

14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.

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

15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

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.

16And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

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!

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

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

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

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

19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

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.

20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

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. ’

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

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.

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

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

23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and 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.

24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

28But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,

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.

29but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

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

30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

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

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

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!’”

32It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

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.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.