1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
3So Jesus told them this parable. 4”Which one of you, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing! 6Coming home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous who need no repentance.
The parable of the lost coin
8Or what woman, if she had ten drachma837 coins and lost one,838 would not light a lamp, sweep the house, and look hard until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma coin which I had lost!’ 10Likewise, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The parable of the prodigal son and the disgruntled brother
11Jesus839 said, “A certain man had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will come to me.’ So the father divided his livelihood840 between them. 13A few days later, the younger son gathered all that he had and traveled to a far country. There, he squandered his property, living immorally. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. 15He went and hired himself to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16He wanted to feed himself841 with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I am dying with hunger! 18I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son! Make me as one of your hired servants.”‘
20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. He ran, and embraced his son,842 and kissed him. 21Then the son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you! I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Bring out the first843 robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet! 23Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this, my son, was dead, and he is alive again! He was lost and [now he] is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26Calling one of the servants, he asked what was going on. 27The servant replied, ‘Your brother has returned! Your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ 28However, the elder son became angry and he would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and begged him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look, for so many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet, you never gave me a goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this, your son, arrived, he who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours! 32But it was fitting to celebrate and to rejoice, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost and is found!’”
The parable of the dishonest yet wise manager
- A drachma coin was worth about 2 days wages for an agricultural laborer.
- Greek text adds “drachma coin”
- Greek “he”
- Or “property, substance, wealth”
- Literally “fill his belly”
- Greek “him”
- Greek prw,thn. Perhaps “best” or a reference to the robe that the son used to wear (“former”).
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
