Luke 15

¹Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.

²And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.

³And he made a story for them, saying,

⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?

⁵And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.

⁶And when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbours and friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which had gone away.

⁷I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart.

⁸Or what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care till she sees it?

⁹And when she has it again, she gets her friends and neighbours together, saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had gone from me.

¹⁰Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.

¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons:

¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them.