The Lost Sheep
(Matthew 18.12-14)1 One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, 2 the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, “This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!” 3 So Jesus told them this parable:
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them—what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. 5 When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders 6 and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbors together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.
The Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman who has ten silver coins loses one of them—what does she do? She lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and looks carefully everywhere until she finds it. 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, and says to them, ‘I am so happy I found the coin I lost. Let us celebrate!’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.”
The Lost Son
11 Jesus went on to say, “There was once a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the property now.’ So the man divided his property between his two sons. 13 After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. 14 He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. 15 So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs. 16 He wished he could fill himself with the bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat. 17 At last he came to his senses and said, ‘All my father's hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! 18 I will get up and go to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you. 19 I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and started back to his father.
“He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms around his son, and kissed him. 21 ‘Father,’ the son said, ‘I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’ 22 But the father called to his servants. ‘Hurry!’ he said. ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. 23 Then go and get the prize calf and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast! 24 For this son of mine was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.’ And so the feasting began.
25 “In the meantime the older son was out in the field. On his way back, when he came close to the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him, ‘What's going on?’ 27 ‘Your brother has come back home,’ the servant answered, ‘and your father has killed the prize calf, because he got him back safe and sound.’ 28 The older brother was so angry that he would not go into the house; so his father came out and begged him to come in. 29 But he spoke back to his father, ‘Look, all these years I have worked for you like a slave, and I have never disobeyed your orders. What have you given me? Not even a goat for me to have a feast with my friends! 30 But this son of yours wasted all your property on prostitutes, and when he comes back home, you kill the prize calf for him!’ 31 ‘My son,’ the father answered, ‘you are always here with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.’”
1 Bet visādi muitnieki un grēcinieki pulcējās ap Viņu, lai klausītos Viņu. 2 Un farizeji un rakstu mācītāji kurnēja un sacīja: "Šis pieņem grēciniekus un ēd kopā ar tiem." 3 Tad Viņš tiem stāstīja šādu līdzību: 4 "Kurš no jūsu vidus, kam ir simts avis un kas vienu no tām ir pazaudējis, neatstāj visas deviņdesmit deviņas tuksnesī, lai ietu pakaļ pazudušajai, līdz kamēr tas to atradīs? 5 Un, to atradis, tas prieka pilns to ceļ uz saviem pleciem 6 un, mājās nācis, sasauc savus draugus un kaimiņus un tiem saka: priecājieties ar mani, jo es savu pazudušo avi esmu atradis. 7 Es jums saku, tāpat būs lielāks prieks debesīs par vienu grēcinieku, kas atgriežas, nekā par deviņdesmit deviņiem taisniem, kam atgriešanās nav vajadzīga. 8 Vai arī - kura sieva, ja tai ir desmit graši un tā vienu no tiem ir pazaudējusi, neaizdedzina sveci un neizmēž māju, rūpīgi meklēdama, līdz kamēr tā to atrod? 9 Un, atradusi to, tā sasauc savas draudzenes un kaimiņienes un saka: priecājieties ar mani, jo es savu grasi esmu atradusi, kuru biju pazaudējusi. 10 Gluži tāpat, Es jums saku, ir prieks Dieva eņģeļiem par vienu grēcinieku, kas atgriežas." 11 Un Viņš sacīja: "Kādam cilvēkam bija divi dēli. 12 Un jaunākais sacīja tēvam: tēvs, dod man piekrītošo mantas daļu! - Tad viņš starp tiem sadalīja mantu. 13 Un pēc dažām dienām, saņēmis visu, jaunākais dēls aizgāja uz tālu zemi un tur izšķieda savu mantu, palaidnīgi dzīvodams. 14 Kad nu viņš visu bija izšķērdējis, tai zemē izcēlās liels bads, un viņam sāka pietrūkt. 15 Tad viņš nogāja un piemetās pie kāda tās zemes pilsoņa; tas to sūtīja savā tīrumā cūkas ganīt. 16 Un viņš būtu bijis priecīgs dabūt sēnalas, ko cūkas ēda, lai ar tām pildītu savu vēderu, bet neviens viņam tās nedeva. 17 Tad viņš, pie atziņas nācis, sacīja: cik algādžu nav manam tēvam, kuriem maizes papilnam, kamēr es te mirstu badā. 18 Es celšos un iešu pie sava tēva un sacīšu: tēvs, es esmu grēkojis pret debesīm un pret tevi, 19 es vairs neesmu cienīgs, ka mani sauc par tavu dēlu; pieņem mani par vienu no saviem algādžiem! 20 Un viņš cēlās un gāja pie sava tēva. Bet, viņam vēl tālu esot, viņa tēvs to ieraudzīja un tam kļuva viņa žēl, un viņš skrēja tam pretī, krita tam ap kaklu un to skūpstīja. 21 Bet dēls tam sacīja: tēvs, es esmu grēkojis pret debesīm un pret tevi, es neesmu vairs cienīgs, ka mani sauc par tavu dēlu. 22 Bet tēvs pavēlēja saviem kalpiem: atnesiet ātri vislabākās drēbes un apģērbiet to, mauciet viņam pirkstā gredzenu un kurpes kājās; 23 atnesiet baroto teļu un nokaujiet to, lai ēdam un līksmojamies, 24 jo šis mans dēls bija miris un nu atkal ir dzīvs, viņš bija pazudis un ir atkal atrasts.- Un viņi sāka līksmoties. 25 Bet vecākais dēls bija uz lauka; kad nu viņš tuvojās mājām, viņš izdzirda mūzikas skaņas un dejas troksni, 26 un, piesaucis vienu no kalpiem, viņš tam jautāja, kas tas esot. 27 Tas viņam atbildēja: tavs brālis ir pārnācis, un tavs tēvs ir licis nokaut baroto teļu, tāpēc ka viņš to veselu atdabūjis. 28 Tad viņš apskaitās un negribēja iet iekšā, bet tēvs iznāca un aicināja viņu iekšā. 29 Bet tas atbildēja un sacīja tēvam: redzi, tik daudz gadu es tev kalpoju un nekad neesmu pārkāpis tavu bausli, bet tu man ne reizi neesi devis ne kazlēnu, lai es būtu varējis līksmoties ar saviem draugiem, 30 bet tagad, kur šis tavs dēls ir pārnācis, kas savu mantu izšķērdējis ar netiklām sievām, tu viņam esi licis nokaut baroto teļu! 31 Bet tas viņam atbildēja: dēls, tu aizvien esi pie manis, un viss, kas ir mans, ir arī tavs, 32 bet bija jālīksmojas un jāpriecājas, jo šis tavs brālis bija miris un atkal ir dzīvs, viņš bija pazudis un ir atkal atrasts."
