Luke 15
15
The Story of the Lost Sheep
1Because the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus, 2the Pharisees and the teachers of the law started muttering, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3So Jesus told them a story. 4He said, “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Won’t he leave the 99 in the open country and go and look for the one lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he’ll put it on his shoulders happily 6and go home. Then he’ll call his friends and neighbors together and say, ‘Celebrate with me, I’ve found the sheep that was lost!’ 7I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be more celebration for one sinner who turns away from sin than for 99 godly people who don’t have sins they need to turn away from.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she does find it, she’ll call her friends and neighbors together and say, ‘Celebrate with me, I’ve found my lost coin!’ 10I tell you, it’s the same in heaven. There’s celebration in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”
The Story of the Lost Son
11Jesus continued, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the family property.’ So the father divided the property between his two sons.
13“Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he had, went to a distant country, and wasted his money on extravagant living. 14But after he’d spent everything, there was a famine in that area, and he began to go hungry. 15The son went to work for a citizen of the country, who sent him out to the fields to feed his pigs. 16Still, no one gave him anything to eat, and he wished he could fill his stomach with the husks the pigs were eating.
17“Then he came to his senses and said, ‘All of my father’s hired servants have more than enough to eat, so why am I starving to death here? 18I’ll get up and go back to my father and tell him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you, 19and I don’t deserve to be considered your son anymore. Please let me be like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20So 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 tender love for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.
21“The son began, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you, and I don’t deserve to be considered your son anymore.’
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate, 24because this son of mine was dead, but now he’s alive. He was lost, but now he has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25“Meanwhile the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come home,’ the servant replied. ‘Your father has killed the fattened calf because he’s back safe and sound.’
28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I’ve always obeyed your orders. But you’ve never given me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours comes home after wasting your money on prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead, but now he’s alive again; he was lost, but now he has been found.’ ”
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Luke 15: RAD
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