Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and herneighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

11And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them hisliving.

13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found

Then drew neere vnto him all the Publicanes and sinners, for to heare him.

2And the Pharises and Scribes murmured, murmured, saying, This man receiueth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable vnto them, saying,

4What man of you hauing an hundred sheepe, if he loose one of them, doth not leaue the ninety and nine in the wildernesse, and goe after that which is lost, vntill he find it?

5And when he hath found it, hee layeth it on his shoulders, reioycing.

6And when he commeth home, he calleth together his friends, and neighbours, saying vnto them, Reioyce with me, for I haue found my sheepe which was lost.

7I say vnto you, that likewise ioy shall be in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth, more then ouer ninety and nine iust persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman hauing ten pieces of siluer, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweepe the house, and seeke diligently till shee find it?

9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Reioyce with me, for I haue found þepiece which I had lost.

10Likewise I say vnto you, there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God, ouer one sinner that repenteth.

11 And hee said, A certaine man had two sonnes:

12And the yonger of them said to his father, Father, giue me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he diuided vnto them his liuing.

13And not many dayes after, the yonger sonne gathered al together, and tooke his iourney into a farre countrey, and there wasted his substance with riotous liuing.

14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he beganne to be in want.

15And he went and ioyned himselfe to a citizen of that countrey, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16And he would faine haue filled his belly with the huskes that the swine did eate: & no man gaue vnto him.

17And when he came to himselfe, he said, How many hired seruants of my fathers haue bread inough and to spare, and I perish with hunger?

18I will arise and goe to my father, and will say vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen and before thee.

19And am no more worthy to be called thy sonne: make me as one of thy hired seruants.

20And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ranne, and fell on his necke, and kissed him.

21And the sonne said vnto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne.

22But the father saide to his seruants, Bring foorth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shooes on his feete.

23And bring hither the fatted calfe, and kill it, and let vs eate and be merrie.

24For this my sonne was dead, and is aliue againe; hee was lost, & is found. And they began to be merie.

25Now his elder sonne was in the field, and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musicke & dauncing,

26And he called one of the seruants, and asked what these things meant.

27And he said vnto him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calfe, because he hath receiued him safe and sound.

28And he was angry, and would not goe in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29And he answering said to his father, Loe, these many yeeres doe I serue thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandement, and yet thou neuer gauest mee a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30But as soone as this thy sonne was come, which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe.

31And he said vnto him, Sonne, thou art euer with me, and all that I haue is thine.

32It was meete that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is aliue againe: and was lost, and is found.

 

1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you, in just 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 having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.' 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."11 Then he said, "A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' 22 But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' 31 He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

v 1,2. Pharisees and teachers of the Law opposed Jesus for His association with those they considered outcasts, so the next three parables teach about God’s concern for the repentance of sinners. The sinners were coming to Jesus and believing.
v 3-7. The Pharisees thought they were righteous and needed no repentance. The sinners coming to Jesus were like the lost sheep that was found, They were not more important than others, but Jesus rejoiced they were saved, and ate with them. This is similar, but apparently not the same time as Mt. 18:12-14.
v 8--10. The coin represented about a day’s wages. Finding it pointed out the intensity of the search because of it’s value, and these people were valuable to God. Neighbors rejoicing compared to angels rejoicing in heaven over those saved.
v 11-20. This parable contrasts the two sons. I am only acquainted with one case in which a son demanded his inheritance ahead of time, and like this one, it was soon gone. The loose living son was like the sinners associating with Jesus. When famine hit and his money was gone, he stooped to feeding pigs for some Gentile. He was hungry enough to join the pigs in eating carob pods from the evergreen carob trees. Coming to his senses, he decided to go back and hire on as a servant to his father.
v 20 b-24. The father ran to meet him and instead of listening to all his prepared request for forgiveness, he prepared a banquet and gave the son a new position. The message was clear, that these sinners repenting were entering into the kingdom.
v 25-32. The attitude of the older brother symbolized the Pharisees and scribes. As the older brother was angry that the other repented and was being blessed, so the Pharisees were angry that though they had labored to keep the law, outcast sinners and Gentiles were given a place in the kingdom. The father had gone out to the older son, and Jesus had given His message to the Pharisees, but  they refused to accept it. The older son had privileges, and the Pharisees had the privilege of being God’s chosen people and had received the covenants and the Law. They should have been entering the kingdom and rejoicing that these other people were being a part of it.