English Standard Version ESV
The Darby Translation DBY
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
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And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them. ”
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and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.
3 So he told them this parable:
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And he spoke to them this parable, saying,
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
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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?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
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and having found it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. ’
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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.
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
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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.
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?
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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?
9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. ’
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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.
10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. ”
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Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.
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And he said, A certain man had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me. ’ And he divided his property between them.
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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.
13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
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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.
14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
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But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.
15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
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And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
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And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
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And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and *I* perish here by famine.
18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
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I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants. ”’
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I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
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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.
21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ’
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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.
22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
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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;
23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
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and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. ’ And they began to celebrate.
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for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
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And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
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And having called one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.
27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound. ’
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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.
28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
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But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.
29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
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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:
30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him! ’
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but when this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
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But he said to him, Child, *thou* art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found. ’”
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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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.