[1] Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.
[2] But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
[3] Then Jesus told them this parable:
[4] “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
[5] And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
[6] and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
[7] I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
[8] “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
[9] And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’
[10] In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
[11] Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
[12] The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
[13] “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
[14] After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
[15] So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
[16] He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
[17] “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
[18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
[19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
[20] So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
[21] “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
[22] “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.
[23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
[24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
[25] “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
[26] So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
[27] ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
[28] “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
[29] But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
[30] But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
[31] “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
[32] But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
- The ten silver coins in the Greek are drachmas: roughly a day’s wages.
- Caring for swine was shameful, because swine were classified as unclean animals under Jewish law (Lev 11:7).
- Slaves were considered a part of the family. Hired servants could be fired at a moment’s notice.
- Respectable grown men didn’t run.
- Is the purpose explicitly stated or implied?
- Is the parable responding to a question, request or complaint?
- Does the parable respond to Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah?
- Does the parable follow an exhortation or principle?
- Does the parable illustrate a situation?
- What remarkable details are there in the parable?
- Who are the main characters in the parable?
- What structural features of the narrative of the parable do you notice?
- What does the parable spend the most time on?
- What point does the parable conclude with?
- What is the main contrast in the parable?
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- What does this say about the Kingdom of God?
- How can we be like, or unlike, each of the characters in the parable?
- How can we be like, or unlike, Jesus' audience?
- How can we be like, or unlike, the gospel author's audience (the early church)?
- How might we change the way we live in response to the truth contained in this parable?