The Parable of the Lost Sheep
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Now tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.
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But the Pharisees and the teacher of the law muttered,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
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The Jesus told them this parable:
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"Suppose one of you has a hunded sheep and loses one of them.
Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country
snd go after the los sheep until he finds it?
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And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
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and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says,
'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
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I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over
one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons
who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
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"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light
a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
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And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says,
'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'
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In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner who repents."
The Parable of the Lost Son
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Jesus continued:
"There was a man who had teo sons.
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The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.'
So he divided his property between them.
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"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had,
set off for a distant country and there squandered his ealth in wild living.
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After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country,
and he began to be in need.
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So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country,
who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
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He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating,
but no one gave him anything.
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"When he came to his sense, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men
have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
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I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
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I am no longer worthy to be called your son;
make me like one of your hired men.'
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So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son,
threw his arms around him and kissed him.
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"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
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"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.
Put a eing on his finger and sandals on his feet.
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Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
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For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
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"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field.
When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
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So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
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Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.'
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"The older brother became angry and refused to go in.
So his father went out and pleaded with him.
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But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you
and never disobeyed your oeders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat
so I could celebrate with my friends,
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But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes
comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
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" 'My son,' the fgather said, 'you are always with me,
and everything Ihave is yours.
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But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead
and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
