New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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

1All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to 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 scribes were complaining, "This man welcomes 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 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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?

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.’

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!'

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

10I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents."

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

11He also said: "A man 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.

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.

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 together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.

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

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

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

15Then he went to work for 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.

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

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!

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!

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

18I'll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

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

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

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.

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.

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. ’

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.'

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.

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.

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

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

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.

24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' So 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; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

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

26So he summoned 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.’

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

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

28"Then he became angry and didn't want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with 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 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.

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 assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered 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.

31"Son,' he said to him, you are always with me, and everything I have 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!’”

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

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