New International Version NIV
American Standard Version ASV
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.
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Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.
2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
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And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
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And he spake unto them this parable, saying,
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
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What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
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And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 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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And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 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.
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I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, [more] than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coinsand loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
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Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?
9 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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And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
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Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
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And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 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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and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
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And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 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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And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
15 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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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 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
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And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
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But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
18 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 will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
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I am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 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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And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 “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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And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son.
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.
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But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
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and bring the fatted calf, [and] kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
24 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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for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
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Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
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And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be.
27 ‘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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And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 “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 was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him.
29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
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But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and [yet] thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 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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but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
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And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.
32 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.’ ”
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But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive [again]; and [was] lost, and is found.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.