Luke 15

Chapter 15

Jesus' story about a sheep that a man has lost

1At that time, many bad people and men who took taxes from people were coming to listen to Jesus. 2The Pharisees and the teachers of God's Law did not like this. They said, ‘This man is friendly with people that do not obey God. He even eats with them in their homes.’

3So Jesus told them this story: 4‘Think about a man who has 100 sheep. He may lose one of them. What does he do then? He leaves all his other sheep in the fields. Then he goes and he looks for the sheep that has become lost. He looks until he finds it. 5When he finds the one sheep, he is very happy. He lifts it up and he puts it across his shoulders. 6Then he carries it back home. He speaks to all his friends and to the people that live near him. He says, “I have found the sheep that I lost. So come to my house and we can all be happy together.” 7I tell you this. When one person turns back to God, it causes a lot of joy in heaven. There is more joy about that one person, than about 99 people who already obey God.’

Jesus' story about a coin that a woman has lost

8Jesus told them another story: ‘Now think about a woman who has ten valuable silver coins. She may lose one of them. What does she do then? She lights a lamp and she sweeps inside her house. She looks carefully until she finds the coin. 9Then she speaks to all her friends and to those that live near to her. She says to them, “I have found the coin that I lost. So come to my house and we can all be happy together.”

10In the same way, I tell you this. When one person turns back to God, it causes a lot of joy among God's angels in heaven.’

Jesus story about a father and his two sons

11Jesus then told another story: ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger son went to his father and said to him, “Father, please give me now my part of your things.” So the father gave both sons the part of his things that each of them should have.

13After a few days, the younger son sold what his father had given to him. Then he took all the money and he left home. He went on a long journey to a country far away. There he did whatever he wanted to do and he wasted all his money. 14After he had spent everything, there was a famine in that country. So the young man had nothing to eat. 15He went to a man who lived in that country to ask him for help. So the man sent him into his fields to give food to his pigs. 16Nobody gave the young man anything to eat. He even wanted to eat the food that the pigs were eating. But he had nothing.

17Then he began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, “My father has many servants, and they have plenty of food. They have more food than they can eat. But I will die here because I do not have any food. 18So I will go to my father. I will tell him, ‘I have done bad things against God, and I have done bad things against you. 19So I am not good enough for you to call me your son any longer. Instead, please accept me as one of your servants.’ ”

20So he started off to return to his father. But he was still a long way from the house when his father saw him. The father felt very sorry for his son and he ran towards him. Then he put his arms around his son and he kissed him. 21The son said to him, “Father, I have done bad things against God and against you. So I am not good enough for you to call me your son.”

22But the father said to his servants, “Hurry! Go and bring the most beautiful coat that we have. Put it on him and also put a ring on his finger. Put shoes on his feet. 23Bring the young cow that we keep ready to eat on a special day. It is already fat. Kill it and prepare it. We will eat a big meal and we will be happy together. 24I thought that my son was dead. But now he has returned to me and he is alive! I thought that he had left me for ever. But now he has come home.” Then they all began to be happy together.

25While these things were happening, the older son was working in the field. On his way back to the house, he heard music. People were dancing. 26So he asked one of the servants, “What is happening?”

27The servant replied, “Your brother has returned home. Your father has killed the fat young cow for him. He did this because your brother is alive and he is well.”

28When the older brother heard this, he was very angry. He would not go into the house. So his father came out. He said, “Please come into the house and be happy with us.”

29But the older son replied, “Listen to me! I have worked very hard for you for many years. I have always obeyed you. But you never killed even a young goat for me so that I could enjoy a meal with my friends. 30But now this other son of yours has returned. He has wasted all the money that you gave him. He has used it to pay prostitutes. But you have killed the fat young cow to make a feast for him.”

31The father said to him, “My son, you are always with me. All the things that I have are for you. 32We thought that your brother was dead. But now he has returned to us alive. We thought that he had left us for ever. But now he has come home. So it is right for us all to be happy together.” ’

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Luke 15: EASY

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