Luke 15 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Parable of the Lost Sheep

(Mat 18:10–14 )

Luk 15:1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.

Luk 15:2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

Luk 15:3

Luk 15:3So Jesus told them this story:

Luk 15:4

Luk 15:4“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

Luk 15:5

Luk 15:5And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

Luk 15:6

Luk 15:6When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

Luk 15:7

Luk 15:7In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

Parable of the Lost Coin

Luk 15:8

Luk 15:8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[fn] and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?

Luk 15:9

Luk 15:9And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

Luk 15:10

Luk 15:10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Parable of the Lost Son

Luk 15:11

Luk 15:11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.

Luk 15:12

Luk 15:12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

Luk 15:13

Luk 15:13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

Luk 15:14

Luk 15:14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

Luk 15:15

Luk 15:15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

Luk 15:16

Luk 15:16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

Luk 15:17

Luk 15:17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!

Luk 15:18

Luk 15:18I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

Luk 15:19

Luk 15:19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

Luk 15:20

Luk 15:20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Luk 15:21

Luk 15:21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[fn]’

Luk 15:22

Luk 15:22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

Luk 15:23

Luk 15:23And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

Luk 15:24

Luk 15:24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Luk 15:25

Luk 15:25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

Luk 15:26

Luk 15:26and he asked one of the servants what was going on.

Luk 15:27

Luk 15:27‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

Luk 15:28

Luk 15:28“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,

Luk 15:29

Luk 15:29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.

Luk 15:30

Luk 15:30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

Luk 15:31

Luk 15:31“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.

Luk 15:32

Luk 15:32We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”