Luke 15: 1-32

                                        

"And came up to him all the publicans and sinners for to hear.

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.

And he gave them this parable, saying:

What man of you having a hundred sheep and loses one, does not leave the desert the ninety-nine and go after the lost until they come to find it?

And finding it, put it on his shoulders, rejoicing;

And coming home, invites friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.

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

Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it?

And finding it, calls her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, I have found the lost coin.

 

So I tell you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

And he said, A certain man had two sons;

And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me part of the farm that belongs to me. And he divided unto them his living.

 

And few days later, the younger son gathered all together, went to a distant land, and there wasted his substance, living riotously.

And when he had spent everything, there was a famine in the land, and began to suffer need.

And it was, and came to a citizen of that country, which sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

And longed to fill his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and nobody gave him anything.

 

And coming to himself, said, How many hired servants of my father have plenty of bread, and I here I suffer from hunger!

Hey getting up, and go to my father, and I will tell you, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;

 

I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, went to his father, and when it was still far away, he saw his father, and moved with compassion, and ran, threw himself into his neck and kissed him.

And the son said unto him, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.

 

But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe, and put it to them, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet;

And bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and eat, and rejoice;

For this my son was dead, and revived, he was lost and is found. And they began to rejoice.

And his eldest son was on the field, and when he came and drew near the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what it was.

 

And he said unto him, Thy brother is come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he has received and saved.

But he became angry and refused to go. And, leaving the father, begged him.

But he answered and said to his father: Behold, I serve the many years I never disobeyed your command, and never gave me a kid to cheer me with my friends;

 

Coming, but when this thy son, who squandered thy living with harlots, you killed the fatted calf.

And he said, Son, thou art ever with me and all my things are yours;

But he was just glad and rejoice, for this thy brother was dead and is alive again, and he was lost, and found himself. "

 

Special series of Christmas (December 2009): Food for the soul - read all articles