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Luke 15:11-32 NIV
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 men 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 men.'
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.' "
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