NgokukaLuka 15:1-32

Kwase kusondela kuye abathelisi nezoni ukuba bamlalele. Kepha abaFarisi nezazimthetho bakhononda, bethi: “Lo muntu wamukela izoni, futhi adle nazo.” UJesu wayesebalandisa lo mfanekiso, ethi: “Ngubani kini ongathi enezimvu eziyikhulu, alahlekelwe ngenye yazo, angazishiyi edlelweni ezingama-99, ahambe ayofuna elahlekileyo, aze ayithole na? Kuthi lapho eseyitholile, ayetshathe emahlombe ethokoza. Esefikile ekhaya ameme abangani nomakhelwane, athi kubo: ‘Thokozani nami, ngokuba ngiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’ Ngithi kini: kanjalo kuyakuba khona ukuthokoza ezulwini ngesoni sisinye esiphendukayo, kunabalungileyo abangama-99 abangakudingi ukuphenduka. “Noma-ke ngumuphi owesifazane ongathi enezinhlamvu zesiliva ezilishumi, alahlekelwe wuhlamvu olulodwa, angokheli isibani, ashanele endlini, alufunisise, aze aluthole na? Kuthi eselutholile ameme abangani nomakhelwane, athi: ‘Thokozani nami, ngokuba ngilutholile uhlamvu lwami obelungilahlekele.’ Ngithi kini: kanjalo-ke kukhona ukuthokoza phambi kwezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.” Wayesethi: “Umuntu othile wayenamadodana amabili. Encane yathi kuyise: ‘Baba, nginike isabelo sefa esingesami;’ uyise wawabela ifa. “Kwathi emva kwezinsukwana nje, indodana encane yaqoqa konke okungokwayo yahamba, yaya ezweni elikude, yafike yalisaphaza ifa layo, iphila ngendlela eyonakeleyo. Kuthe isilisaphaze lonke, kwaba khona indlala enkulu kulelo lizwe; yaqala ukweswela. Yahamba-ke yayosebenza komunye umuntu walelo lizwe. Wayithumela emadlelweni akhe ukuba iyokwelusa izingulube. Yafisa ukuthiba iphango ngemidumba edliwa yizingulube, kepha kayiphiwanga muntu. “Kuthe sekubuye umqondo, yathi: ‘Kambe bangaki abaqashwe ngubaba abadla baze bakubuke, mina ngibe ngibulawa yindlala lapha na? Ngiyakusuka, ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: baba, ngonile kuNkulunkulu nakuwe; angisafanele ukubizwa ngendodana yakho; ngenze ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho.’ Yayisisuka, yaya kuyise. Kepha kuthe isekude, uyise wayibona, waba nesihe, wagijima, wayisingatha entanyeni, wayanga. “Indodana yayisithi kuye: ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu nakuwe; angisafanele ukubizwa ngendodana yakho.’ “Kepha uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: ‘Sheshani nilethe ingubo yakwanokusho, niyembathise, niyifake indandatho esandleni sayo nezicathulo ezinyaweni, nilethe ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, nilihlabe, sidle, sijabule. Ngokuba le ndodana yami ibifile, yabuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, isitholakele,’ base beqala ukujabula. “Kepha indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; kuthe lapho isondela ngasekhaya, yezwa kuhlatshelelwa, futhi kusinwa. Yabiza enye yezinceku, yabuza ukuthi kwenzenjani. Yathi kuyo: ‘Kufike umnawakho, uyihlo wayesehlaba ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, ngokuba ubuye wamthola esaphila.’ “Kepha indodana endala yathukuthela, yenqaba ukungena ekhaya. Uyise wayesephuma, wayincenga. Kepha yaphendula, yathi kuyise: ‘Bheka nje, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela; angizange ngiweqe umyalo wakho, kepha mina awukaze ungihlabise ngisho nezinyane lembuzi leli, ukuba ngithokoze nabangani bami. Kepha kuthe ukuba kufike le ndodana yakho ebhubhudle ifa lakho nezifebe, wayihlabisa ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo.’ “Wayesethi uyise kuyo: ‘Ndodana, wena uhlala nami njalo; konke okwami kungokwakho. Kepha kufanele sijabule, sithokoze, ngokuba umfowenu lo ubefile, manje useyaphila; ubelahlekile, kodwa usetholakele.’ ”