Luke 15
15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Mt 18:12–14
1Now all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2#Mt 9:11; Lk 5:30But the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3So He told them this parable, saying, 4#Eze 34:11–12; 34:16“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6#1Pe 2:25Then when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ 7#Lk 5:32Likewise, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous men who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins#Gk. drachmas, each worth about a day’s wage. and losing one, does not light a candle and sweep the house and search diligently until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ 10#Heb 1:14Likewise, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11Then He said, “A man had two sons. 12#Mk 12:44; Lk 15:30The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided his estate between them.
13#Lk 15:30; 16:1“Not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together, and journeyed to a distant country, and there squandered his possessions in prodigal living. 14When he had spent everything, there came a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in want. 15So he went and hired himself to a citizen of that county, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16He would gladly have filled his stomach with the husks that the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17“When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have an abundance of bread, and here I am perishing with hunger! 18#Lk 15:21; 18:13I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19#Lk 7:6–7I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20#Ac 20:37; Ge 45:14So he arose and came to his father.
“But while he was yet far away, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and embraced his neck and kissed him.
21#Ps 51:4; Lk 15:18–19“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22#Ge 41:42; Rev 6:11“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. 23Bring here the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. 24#Lk 15:32; Eph 2:1For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ So they began to be merry.
25“Now his older son was in the field. As he came and drew near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. 27He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’
28“He was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and entreated him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years have I served you. Nor have I ever transgressed your commands, yet never have you given me a goat, so that I might be merry with my friends. 30#Pr 29:3; Lk 15:12–13But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31“He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32#Lk 15:24But it was fitting to be merry and be glad, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
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Military Bible Association
Luke 15
15
The Story of the Lost Sheep
1-3By this time a lot of men and women of questionable reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.
4-7“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8-10“Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”
The Story of the Lost Son
11-12a Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’
12b-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to feel it. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corn-cobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
17-20a “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.
20b-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’
22-24“But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a prize-winning heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.
25-27“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’
28-30“The older brother stomped off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’
31-32“His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.