New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.
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Now all the tax-farmers and sinners came near to give ear to him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
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And the Pharisees and scribes were angry, saying, This man gives approval to sinners, and takes food with them.
3 So he told them this parable:
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And he made a story for them, saying,
4 "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
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What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if one of them gets loose and goes away, will not let the ninety-nine be in the waste land by themselves, and go after the wandering one, till he sees where it is?
5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.
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And when he has got it again, he takes it in his arms with joy.
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'
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And when he gets back to his house, he sends for his neighbours and friends, saying to them, Be glad with me, for I have got back my sheep which had gone away.
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 to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart.
8 "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
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Or what woman, having ten bits of silver, if one bit has gone from her hands, will not get a light, and go through her house, searching with care till she sees it?
9 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 when she has it again, she gets her friends and neighbours together, saying, Be glad with me, for I have got back the bit of silver which had gone from me.
10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
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Even so, I say to you, There is joy among the angels of God, when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing.
11 Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons.
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And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them.
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And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them.
13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.
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And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
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And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
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And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.
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And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, and no one gave him anything.
17 But when he came to himself he said, "How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!
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But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food!
18 I will get up 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 get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." '
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I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants.
20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
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And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
21 Then 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 his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
22 But the father said to his slaves, "Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—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, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
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And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad.
24 for this son of mine 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, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
25 "Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
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Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.
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And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be.
27 He replied, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.'
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And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.
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But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in.
29 But he answered his father, "Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.
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But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends:
30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!'
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But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
31 Then the father said to him, "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
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And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.' "
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But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.