Luke 15:11–21

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹He also said: “A man had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets ^sto them. ¹³Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered ^this estate in foolish living. ^u14After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. ^v15Then he went to work for ^wone of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ^x16He longed to eat his fill from ^ythe carob pods ^zthe pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. ¹⁷When he came to his senses, ^ahe said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! ^b18I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned ^cagainst heaven ^dand in your sight. ¹⁹I’m no longer worthy ^eto be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ ²⁰So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. ^fHe ran, threw his arms around his neck, ^gand kissed ^hhim. ²¹The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’