One Sheep
(Matthew 18.12-14)1 Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. 2 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, “This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this story:
4 If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder 6 and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.”
7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don't need to.”
One Coin
8 Jesus told the people another story:
What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them? Won't she light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it? 9 Then she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found the coin I lost.”
10 Jesus said, “In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”
Two Sons
11 Jesus told them yet another story:
Once a man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.
15 He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs. 16 He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him a thing.
17 Finally, he came to his senses and said, “My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! 18 I will go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’ ”
20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.
21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”
22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
25 The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants over and asked, “What's going on here?”
27 The servant answered, “Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf.” 28 The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house.
His father came out and begged him to go in. 29 But he said to his father, “For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. 30 This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast.”
31 His father replied, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found.”
Līdzība par pazudušo avi
(Mt 18:10–14)1 Daudzi muitnieki un grēcinieki pulcējās ap viņu, lai viņu dzirdētu. 2 Farizeji un rakstu mācītāji kurnēja: “Šis pieņem grēciniekus un kopā ar tiem ēd.” 3 Bet viņš tiem sāka stāstīt līdzību: 4 “Kurš cilvēks no jums, kam ir simts avju, vienu pazaudējis, neatstāj tās deviņdesmit deviņas tuksnesī un nedodas pakaļ pazudušajai, līdz to atrod? 5 Un, atradis avi, viņš to ceļ uz saviem pleciem priecādamies 6 un, pārnācis mājās, sasauc draugus un kaimiņus un tiem saka: priecājieties līdz ar mani, jo es savu pazudušo avi esmu atradis. 7 Es jums saku: tāpat arī debesīs būs lielāks prieks par vienu atgriezušos grēcinieku nekā par deviņdesmit deviņiem taisnajiem, kuriem atgriešanās nav vajadzīga.
Līdzība par pazudušo drahmu
8 Vai arī kāda sieviete, kurai pieder desmit drahmas, ja tā vienu pazaudē, vai viņa neiededz lukturi un neizmēž māju, un rūpīgi nemeklē, līdz to atrod? 9 Atradusi to, viņa sasauc draudzenes un kaimiņus un saka: priecājieties līdz ar mani, jo esmu atradusi drahmu, ko biju pazaudējusi. 10 Es jums saku: tāpat ir prieks Dieva eņģeļiem par vienu atgriezušos grēcinieku.”
Līdzība par pazudušo dēlu
11 Tad viņš stāstīja: “Kādam vīram bija divi dēli. 12 Jaunākais no tiem sacīja tēvam: tēvs, dod man īpašuma daļu, kas man pienākas. Un tas sadalīja visu mantu starp viņiem. 13 Pēc nedaudz dienām jaunākais dēls savāca visu un aizbrauca uz tālu zemi, un tur izšķieda savu mantu, izlaidīgi dzīvodams. 14 Kad viņš visu bija iztērējis, tajā zemē izcēlās liels bads, un viņš sāka ciest trūkumu. 15 Un viņš gāja un piemitinājās pie viena tās zemes pilsoņa, un tas sūtīja to tīrumā cūkas ganīt. 16 Viņš kāroja pieēsties mizu, ko cūkas ēda, bet neviens viņam tās nedeva. 17 Attapies viņš sacīja: cik daudz algādžu ir manam tēvam, kuri pārpilnībā ēd maizi, bet es te mirstu badā. 18 Es celšos un iešu pie sava tēva un sacīšu viņam: tēvs, es esmu apgrēkojies pret debesīm un pret tevi. 19 Es vairs neesmu cienīgs saukties par tavu dēlu. Pieņem mani par vienu no saviem algādžiem! 20 Un viņš cēlās un gāja pie sava tēva. Viņam vēl tālu esot, tēvs viņu ieraudzīja un iežēlojās par viņu, un, pieskrējis klāt, krita viņam ap kaklu un skūpstīja. 21 Dēls viņam sacīja: tēvs, es esmu apgrēkojies pret debesīm un pret tevi, es neesmu vairs cienīgs saukties par tavu dēlu. 22 Bet tēvs teica saviem kalpiem: ātri atnesiet vislabāko tērpu un apģērbiet viņu, un velciet viņam pirkstā gredzenu un apavus kājās! 23 Vediet baroto teļu, nokaujiet to, tad ēdīsim un priecāsimies! 24 Jo šis mans dēls bija miris un atkal ir dzīvs, viņš bija pazudis un nu ir atradies. – Un viņi sāka līksmoties. 25 Bet vecākais dēls bija uz lauka. Kad viņš nāca un tuvojās mājai, viņš izdzirdēja mūziku un dejas līksmību. 26 Piesaucis klāt vienu no kalpiem, viņš vaicāja, kas tur notiek. 27 Tas viņam atbildēja: tavs brālis ir pārnācis, un tavs tēvs ir licis nokaut baroto teļu, jo ir atguvis dēlu sveiku un veselu. 28 Tad viņš sadusmojās un negribēja iet iekšā, bet viņa tēvs iznāca un mēģināja to pierunāt. 29 Bet viņš atbildēja savam tēvam: redzi, tik daudz gadu es tev kalpoju un nekad neesmu pārkāpis tavas pavēles, bet tu man pat kazlēnu neesi devis, lai es ar draugiem palīksmotos. 30 Bet šis tavs dēls, kas tavu mantu aprija, uzdzīvodams ar netiklēm, nu ir pārnācis mājās, un tu liki nokaut viņam baroto teļu. 31 Bet viņš tam sacīja: dēls, tu vienmēr esi pie manis, un viss, kas ir mans, ir arī tavs. 32 Bet ir jālīksmojas un jāpriecājas, jo šis tavs brālis bija miris un ir atkal dzīvs, bija pazudis un atkal ir atradies.”
