15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³ And so He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

⁸ “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I had lost!’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

¹¹ And He said, “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his

father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that is coming to me.’ And so

he divided his wealth between them. ¹³ And 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 in wild living. ¹⁴ Now

when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country,

and he began doing without. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of

the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed

pigs. ¹⁶ And he longed to have his fill of the carob pods that the pigs were

eating, and no one was giving him anything. ¹⁷ But when he came to his

senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired laborers have more than

enough bread, but I am dying here from hunger! ¹⁸ I will set out and go to

my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in

your sight; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one

of your hired laborers.”’ ²⁰ So he set out and came to his father. But when

he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him,

and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him,

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer

worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly

bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and

sandals on his feet; ²³ and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat

and celebrate; ²⁴ for 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. ²⁶ And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. ²⁷ And 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.’ ²⁸ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. ²⁹ But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; ³⁰ but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But 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.’”

¹¹ Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or judges his brother or sister, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you, judging your neighbor?

⁸ If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. ¹¹ For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. ¹² So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. ¹³ For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.