Luke 15: 1 - 3, 11 - 32
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| 1
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Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
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| 2
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And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
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| 3
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So he told them this parable:
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| 11
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And he said, "There was a man who had two sons;
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| 12
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and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them.
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| 13
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Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
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| 14
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And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want.
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| 15
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So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
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| 16
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And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.
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| 17
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But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger!
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| 18
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I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
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| 19
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I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."'
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| 20
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And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
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| 21
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And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
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| 22
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But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet;
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| 23
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and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
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| 24
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for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.
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| 25
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"Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
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| 26
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And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant.
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| 27
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And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.'
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| 28
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But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
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| 29
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but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
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| 30
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But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!'
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| 31
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And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
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| 32
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It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
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