Luke 15:11–32

The Prodigal Son

¹¹And He said, “A man had two sons.

¹²“The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me ^athe share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his ^1bwealth between them.

¹³“And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

¹⁴“Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

¹⁵“So he went and ¹hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

¹⁶“And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the ¹pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

¹⁷“But when he came to ¹his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!

¹⁸‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and ¹in your sight;

¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’

²⁰“So he got up and came to ¹his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and ^2aembraced 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 ^athe best robe and put it on him, and ^bput a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

²³and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

²⁴for this son of mine was ^adead 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 killed 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 ¹neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

³⁰but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your ^1awealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

³¹“And he said to him, ‘Son, you ¹have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

³²‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was ^adead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”