11 And he said, ‘A certain man had two sons, 12and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to me, and he divided to them the living.

13 ‘And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously; 14and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want; 15and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine, 16and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.

17 ‘And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing! 18having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin—to the heaven, and before thee, 19and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.

20 ‘And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him; 21and the son said to him, Father, I did sin—to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.

22 ‘And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet; 23and having brought the fatted calf, kill it, and having eaten, we may be merry, 24because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

25 ‘And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing, 26and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be, 27and he said to him—Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.

28 ‘And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him; 29and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry; 30but when thy son—this one who did devour thy living with harlots—came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf.

31 ‘And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine; 32but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.’

Chapter 16