Knox Bible

1

When they found all the publicans and sinners coming to listen to him,

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the Pharisees and scribes were indignant; Here is a man, they said, that entertains sinners, and eats with them.

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Whereupon he told them this parable:

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If any of you owns a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does he not leave the other ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

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And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders, rejoicing,

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and so goes home, and calls his friends and his neighbours together; Rejoice with me, he says to them, I have found my sheep that was lost.

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So it is, I tell you, in heaven; there will be more rejoicing over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine souls that are justified, and have no need of repentance.✻

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Or if some woman has ten silver pieces by her, and has lost one of them, does she not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

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And when she does find it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together; Rejoice with me, she says, I have found the silver piece which I lost.

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So it is, I tell you, with the angels of God; there is joy among them over one sinner that repents.

11

Then he said, There was a certain man who had two sons.

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And the younger of these said to his father, Father, give me that portion of the estate which falls to me. So he divided his property between them.

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Not many days afterwards, the younger son put together all that he had, and went on his travels to a far country, where he wasted his fortune in riotous living.

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Then, when all was spent, a great famine arose in that country, and he found himself in want;

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whereupon he went and attached himself to a citizen of that country, who put him on his farm, to feed swine.

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He would have been glad to fill his belly with husks, such as the swine used to eat; but none was ready to give them to him.

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Then he came to himself, and said, How many hired servants there are in my father’s house, who have more bread than they can eat, and here am I perishing with hunger!

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I will arise and go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee;

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I am not worthy, now, to be called thy son; treat me as one of thy hired servants.

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And he arose, and went on his way to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and took pity on him; running up, he threw his arms round his neck and kissed him.

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And when the son said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am not worthy, now, to be called thy son,

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the father gave orders to his servants, Bring out the best robe, and clothe him in it; put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

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Then bring out the calf that has been fattened, and kill it; let us eat, and make merry;

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for my son here was dead, and has come to life again, was lost, and is found. And so they began their merry-making.

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The elder son, meanwhile, was away on the farm; and on his way home, as he drew near the house, he heard music and dancing;

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whereupon he called one of the servants and asked what all this meant.

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He told him, Thy brother has come back, and thy father has killed the fattened calf, glad to have him restored safe and sound.

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At this he fell into a rage, and would not go in. When his father came out and tried to win him over,

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he answered his father thus, Think how many years I have lived as thy servant, never transgressing thy commands, and thou hast never made me a present of a kid, to make merry with my friends;

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and now, when this son of thine has come home, one that has swallowed up his patrimony in the company of harlots, thou hast killed the fattened calf in his honour.

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He said to him, My son, thou art always at my side, and everything that I have is already thine;

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but for this merry-making and rejoicing there was good reason; thy brother here was dead, and has come to life again; was lost, and is found.