Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“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. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole
country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a
citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to
fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him
anything.
“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! I
will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son;
make me like one of your hired servants.’ 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.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“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. Bring
the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son
of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began
to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came
near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants
and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your
father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his
father went out and pleaded with him. 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. But when
this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home,
you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and
everything I have is yours. 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.’” Luke 15:11-31
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