The Prodigal Son

Luke 15

¹¹And He said, “A man had two sons.

¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate thatis coming to me.’ And so he divided hiswealth between them.

¹³And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate inwild living.

¹⁴Now when he hadspent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began doing without.

¹⁵So he went andhired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

¹⁶And he longed to have his fill of the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving him anything.

¹⁷But when he came tohis senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired laborers have more than enough bread, but I am dying herefrom hunger!

¹⁸I will set out and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, andin your sight;

¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired laborers.” ’

²⁰So he set out and came tohis father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran andembraced him and kissed him.

²¹And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven andin your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²²But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, andput a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet;

²³and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate;

²⁴for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

²⁵“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.

²⁷And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’

²⁸But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

²⁹But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have neverneglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

³⁰but when this son of yours came, who has devoured yourwealth with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

³¹And he said to him, ‘Son, youhave always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”