The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Luke 15Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to hear him. The Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable: “What human among y’all, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully places it on his shoulders, and when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Y’all rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell y’all that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or what woman, if she had ten silver coins, and lost one of them, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Y’all rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin!’ In the same way, I tell y’all, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
Then Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will come to me.’ So he divided his livelihood between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country. There he squandered his estate with wild living. When he had spent all of it, a strong famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I’m here lost with hunger! I will get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and felt gut-wrenching sympathy, and ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 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.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Y’all bring the best robe and put it on him. And y’all put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Y’all bring the fattened calf, kill it. Let’s eat and celebrate! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
“Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants and asked him what was happening. ‘Your brother has returned,’ he hold him, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ But the older son was enraged and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a command of yours. But you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours, who has devoured your livelihood with prostitutes comes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’”