Chapter 15

¹Now the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. ³And he spoke to them this parable, saying: ⁴What man of you that hath an hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it? ⁵And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing: ⁶And coming home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost? ⁷I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance. ⁸Or what woman having ten groats; if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it? ⁹And when she hath found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost. ¹⁰So I say to you, there shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance. ¹¹And he said: A certain man had two sons: ¹²And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his substance. ¹³And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance, living riotously. ¹⁴And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want. ¹⁵And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine. ¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him. ¹⁷And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger? ¹⁸I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee: ¹⁹I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ²⁰And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him. ²¹And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son. ²²And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: ²⁴Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵Now his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing: ²⁶And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. ²⁷And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. ²⁸And he was angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him. ²⁹And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends: ³⁰But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. ³¹But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me, and all I have is thine. ³²But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.