NgokukaLuka 15:11-32

Wayesethi: “Umuntu othile wayenamadodana amabili. Encane yawo yayisithi kuyise: ‘Baba, nginike isabelo sefa esiqondene nami;’ wawahlukanisela impahla. “Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezingeziningi indodana encane yayisibutha konke, yamuka, yaya ezweni elikude, yachitha khona imfuyo yayo ihamba ngokonakala. Isisaphaze konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelo zwe; yaqala ukuswela. Yayisiya kukhonza komunye umuntu walelo zwe; yena wayithuma emadlelweni akhe ukuba yaluse izingulube. Yafisa ukuzisuthisa ngemidumba edliwa yizingulube; kepha kayiphiwanga muntu. “Kuthe sekusile kuyo, yathi: ‘Bangaki abaqashwa bakababa abanokudla okuningi, kanti mina ngifa indlala lapha. Ngiyakusuka, ngiye kubaba, ngithi: Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho; angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho; ngenze ngibe njengomunye wabaqashwa bakho.’ Yayisisuka, yafika kuyise; kepha kuthe isekude, uyise wayibona, waba nesihe, wagijima, wayisingatha entanyeni, wayanga. “Indodana yayisithi kuye: ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho; angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho.’ “Kepha uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: ‘Sheshani nikhiphe ingubo enhle kunazo zonke, niyembathise, nifake indandatho esandleni sayo nezicathulo ezinyaweni, nilethe ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, nilihlabe, sidle, sijabule; ngokuba le ndodana yami ibifile, yabuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, seyatholakala;’ base beqala ukujabula. “Kepha indodana yakhe enkulu yayisensimini; yathi iseza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela nokusina. Yabiza omunye wabafana, yabuza ukuthi kwenze njani lokho. Wathi kuyo: ‘Kufike umfowenu; uyihlo wahlaba ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, ngokuba ubuye wamthola ephilile.’ “Kepha yathukuthela, kayivumanga ukungena; uyise wayesephuma, wayincenga. Kodwa yaphendula, yathi kuyise: ‘Bheka, iminyaka engaka ngikukhonzile; angizange ngeqe umyalo wakho, kepha mina awuzange ungiphe nazinyane lembuzi ukuba ngijabule nabahlobo bami, kodwa kuthe ukuba ifike leyo ndodana yakho eqede imfuyo yakho nezifebe, wayihlabisa ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo.’ “Wayesethi kuyo: ‘Mntanami, wena uhlala nami njalo; konke okwami kungokwakho. Kepha simelwe ukujabula, sithokoze, ngokuba umfowenu lo wayefile, wabuye waphila; wayelahlekile, sewatholakala.’ ”