Luke 15 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

All the tax collectors and people living in failure kept coming close to listen to Jesus.

The Pharisees and the experts in religious law kept grumbling, "This man welcomes people living in failure and actually eats with them."

So Jesus told them this story:

"Imagine one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine out in the open country and go searching for the lost one until you find it?

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders

and goes home. Then he calls together his friends and neighbors and says, 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost sheep!'

I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one person living in failure who changes the direction of their life than over ninety-nine people who are already living right and don't need to change direction.

"Or imagine a woman who has ten silver coins and loses one. Wouldn't she light a lamp, sweep the whole house, and search carefully until she finds it?

And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!'

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy among God's angels over one person living in failure who changes the direction of their life."

Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons.

The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So the father divided his wealth between them.

A few days later, the younger son turned everything he had into cash and left for a distant country, where he threw away his wealth on a reckless lifestyle.

After he had spent everything, a severe famine hit that whole country, and he started to be in desperate need.

So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

He was so hungry he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but nobody gave him anything.

When he finally came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am starving to death!

I'll get up and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I've failed — I've failed God and I've failed you.

I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Just treat me like one of your hired workers.'

So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.

The son said to him, 'Father, I've failed — I've failed God and I've failed you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'

But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fattened calf and butcher it. Let's have a feast and celebrate!

Because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and has been found!' And they began to celebrate.

Now the older son was out in the field. As he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

He called one of the servants over and asked what was going on.

The servant told him, 'Your brother has come back, and your father has butchered the fattened calf because he got him back safe and sound.'

The older son was furious and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving away for you. I never once disobeyed you. And you never even gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours comes back after devouring your wealth with prostitutes, you butcher the fattened calf for him!'

The father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life — he was lost and has been found.'"