The Sheep That Got Away
1Jesus attracted a crowd of tax collectors [1] and sinners. They got as close to him as they could so they could hear what he had to say. 2Pharisees and Jewish scholars known as scribes didn’t like that. They grumbled, “This guy not only welcomes sinners but also eats with them!”3So Jesus told them a parable. 4“If you were out in a pasture with 100 sheep and you suddenly realized one of them had gone missing, wouldn’t you instantly leave those sheep grazing in the pasture while you looked for that lost sheep until you found it? 5And when you found it, wouldn’t you be so happy that you would pick it up and carry it home on your shoulders? 6Then when you got home, wouldn’t you invite your friends and neighbors to come over and celebrate with you, telling them, ‘Hey, come and celebrate with me. I found my lost sheep’?
7“I’m telling you, people, that’s exactly what happens in heaven. There’s more joy up there over one sinner who decides to stop sinning [2] than over 99 good souls who already made that choice.
One Lost Coin
8“Or what about this? What if a woman who has 10 silver coins [3] loses one? Wouldn’t she look for it clear into the night if she had to? Wouldn’t she light a lamp and sweep the house clean until she found it? 9Then when she found it, wouldn’t she call her friends and neighbors together and tell them, ‘Hey, everyone, come to my place and celebrate with me. I finally found the coin I lost’?10“I’m telling you this, the angels of God celebrate when one sinner decides to stop sinning.”
One Lost Son
11Then Jesus told another parable. “A man had two sons. 12The younger boy went to his dad and said, ‘Father, I’d like you to give me my share of the family estate now.’ So the man figured out the value of his property and divided it among his two sons. 13A few days later that younger son packed his belongings, including his newly inherited wealth, and he took a trip far from home. There he went broke after spending all his money recklessly, living it up and shelling it out. 14When his coins were all gone, a drought struck the area. He was suddenly poor and starving.15“He managed to land a job on a farm there. The farmer gave him the chore of going out into the fields and feeding the pigs. [4] 16The young man got so hungry at one point that he considered eating the pig food: carob pods. [5] No one gave him anything to help him out.
17“He eventually came to his senses. He said, ‘Back home, even my father’s hired workers have plenty of food to eat, with leftovers. And here I am starving to death. 18I’m going to get the dickens out of here, drag my sorry rear end back to my father, and tell him, “Father, I blew it. What I did was wrong. I hurt heaven and I hurt you. 19I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. So I’m not asking for you to take me back into the family. Instead, I’m asking you to hire me as one of your workers.”’
20“So the young man left that pig farm and went back to his father. The young man was still a good distance from home, yet close enough for his father to see him coming. In that moment, his father melted into compassion. He raced to his son and collapsed onto his shoulders and neck, kissing him as he held him tight.
21“The young man said, ‘Father, what I did was wrong. I hurt heaven and I hurt you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’
22“But the father turned to his workers and gave them an order: ‘Hurry, bring me a robe. Get the best one you can find. Put it on him. Give him a ring for his finger too. And sandals for his feet. 23Go ahead and butcher the calf we’ve been fattening. [6] We’re going to celebrate with a wonderful feast. 24This is something worth celebrating. My son was dead. But he’s alive again. He was lost. But now he’s found.’ So the party began.
25“While all this was going on, the young man’s older brother was out working in the field. When he finally headed home for the day, he began to hear music back at the house. And it sounded like people dancing too. 26He called out to one of the workers and asked what was going on.
27“The worker told him, ‘Your little brother came home. Your father butchered the calf he had been fattening. Everyone is celebrating because your brother is back home, alive and well.’
28“The older son was not happy. In fact, he quickly worked himself up into an angry pout. He refused to go in and celebrate with everyone. His father came out and tried to talk him into coming inside. 29But the son told his dad, ‘This isn’t fair. I’ve worked for you year after year, never once refusing to do whatever you asked me to do. But you’ve never thrown a party for me. You’ve never even butchered so much as a young goat in honor of me. 30But when this worthless son of yours comes back home after blowing half of your wealth on prostitutes, you butcher our prized calf for him!’
31“The father said, ‘Son, you and I are a team. You are always by my side, and everything I own is yours as well. 32But, come on, we had to celebrate this joy we feel. Your brother was dead. But he has come back to life. He was lost. But now he is found.’”
