The Darby Translation DBY
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
1 All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus.
2 and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
2 But the Pharisees and the scribes complained, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 And he spoke to them this parable, saying,
3 Jesus spoke to them using this illustration:
4 What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
4 "Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 and having found it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;
5 When he finds it, he's happy. He puts that sheep on his shoulders and
6 and being come to the house, calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
6 goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep!'
7 I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, [more] than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.
7 I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval."
8 Or, what woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?
8 "Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it?
9 and having found it she calls together the friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Let's celebrate! I've found the coin that I lost.'
10 Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.
10 So I can guarantee that God's angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts."
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons;
11 Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons.
12 and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give to me the share of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided to them what he was possessed of.
12 The younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the property.' So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
13 "After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle.
14 But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
14 He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on.
15 And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
15 So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields.
16 And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.
16 No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating.
17 And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and *I* perish here by famine.
17 "Finally, he came to his senses. He said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, while I'm starving to death here?
18 I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;
18 I'll go at once to my father, and I'll say to him, "Father, I've sinned against heaven and you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
19 I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men."'
20 And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.
20 "So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.
21 Then his son said to him, 'Father, I've sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'
22 But the father said to his bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in [it], and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
22 "The father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let's celebrate with a feast.
24 for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.
24 My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.' Then they began to celebrate.
25 And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
25 "His older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And having called one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.
26 He called to one of the servants and asked what was happening.
27 And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and well.
27 "The servant told him, 'Your brother has come home. So your father has killed the fattened calf to celebrate your brother's safe return.'
28 But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.
28 "Then the older son became angry and wouldn't go into the house. His father came out and begged him to come in.
29 But he answering said to his father, Behold, so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed a commandment of thine; and to me hast thou never given a kid that I might make merry with my friends:
29 But he answered his father, 'All these years I've worked like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed one of your commands. Yet, you've never given me so much as a little goat for a celebration with my friends.
30 but when this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
30 But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came home, you killed the fattened calf for him.'
31 But he said to him, Child, *thou* art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
31 "His father said to him, 'My child, you're always with me. Everything I have is yours.
32 But it was right to make merry and rejoice, because this thy brother was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.
32 But we have something to celebrate, something to be happy about. This brother of yours was dead but has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.'"
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.