Montgomery - Luke - 15

15:1  Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him.

15:2  And the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "He is welcoming sinners and eating with them!"

15:3  And he told them a parable.

15:4  "Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

15:5  "And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.

15:6  "When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

15:7  "I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.

15:8  "Or, again, suppose a woman has ten coins. If she loses one, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and search anxiously until she finds it?

15:9  "And when she has found it, she calls together her woman friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’

15:10  "Even so I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels for God over one sinner who repents."

15:11  And he said. "There was a man who had two sons.

15:12  "The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.’ So he divided his means among them.

15:13  "Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly.

15:14  "After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want.

15:15  "So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine.

15:16  "And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.

15:17  "When he came to himself he said. "‘How many of my father’s hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger!

15:18  "‘I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight,

15:19  "‘"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."‘

15:20  "So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

15:21  "The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.’

15:22  "‘Fetch the best robe, quick,’ said the father to his slaves, ‘and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet.

15:23  "‘Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry,

15:24  "‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again - he was lost and is found.’

15:25  "So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing,

15:26  "and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant.

15:27  "‘Your brother is come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.’

15:28  "But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father.

15:29  "‘All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends.

15:30  "‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.’

15:31  "‘My dear son,’ answered his father, ‘you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.

15:32  "‘But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.’"