The Story of the Lost Sheep
1The tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were whispering among themselves. They said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3Then Jesus told them a story. 4He said, “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Won’t he leave the 99 in the open country? Won’t he go and look for the one lost sheep until he finds it? 5When he finds it, he will joyfully put it on his shoulders 6and go home. Then he will call his friends and neighbors together. He will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin. Yes, there will be more joy than for 99 godly people who do not need to turn away from their sins.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the house? Won’t she search carefully until she finds the coin? 9And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors together. She will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost coin.’ 10I tell you, it is the same in heaven. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”
The Story of the Lost Son
11Jesus continued, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger son spoke to his father. He said, ‘Father, give me my share of the family property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13“Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living. 14He spent everything he had. Then the whole country ran low on food. So the son didn’t have what he needed. 15He went to work for someone who lived in that country. That person sent the son to the fields to feed the pigs. 16The son wanted to fill his stomach with the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.
17“Then he began to think clearly again. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food! But here I am dying from hunger! 18I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you. 19I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20So he got up and went to his father.
“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. He was filled with tender love for his son. He ran to him. He 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 fit 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. 23Bring the fattest calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25“The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants. He asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come home,’ the servant replied. ‘Your father has killed the fattest calf. He has done this because your brother is back safe and sound.’
28“The older brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father went out and begged him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I have always obeyed your orders. You never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’
31“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me. Everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad. This brother of yours was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ ”
Prispodoba o izgubljenoj ovci
(Mt 18:12-14)
1Oko Isusa su se okupljali svi ubirači poreza i ostali zloglasni grešnici da ga slušaju dok poučava. 2Zato su farizeji i pismoznanci prigovarali: “Druži se s grešnicima i još s njima jede!”
3Isus im stoga ispriča prispodobu: 4“Tko od vas ne bi, da ima sto ovaca i da se jedna od njih izgubi u pustinji, otišao tražiti tu jednu dok ju ne nađe? 5A onda bi ju, sav sretan, na ramenima odnio doma 6te pozvao prijatelje i susjede da im kaže: ‘Radujte se sa mnom! Našao sam izgubljenu ovcu!’ 7Kažem vam da će na nebu također biti veća radost zbog jednoga jedinoga grešnika koji se obrati Bogu nego zbog devedeset devet pravednika kojima obraćenje ne treba.”
Prispodoba o izgubljenom novčiću
8“Koja to žena, da ima deset srebrnih novčića15:8 U grčkome: deset drahmi. Tada je jedna drahma bila prosječna dnevna nadnica. i jedan izgubi, ne bi upalila svjetlo, pomela kuću i pomnjivo ju pretražila da ga pronađe? 9A kad ga nađe, pozvala bi prijateljice i susjede i rekla: ‘Radujte se sa mnom! Našla sam izgubljeni novac!’ 10Kažem vam da silnu radost u nebu gledaju i anđeli Božji zbog samo jednoga jedinoga grešnika koji se obrati Bogu.”
Prispodoba o izgubljenom sinu
11Isus nastavi: “Neki je čovjek imao dvojicu sinova. 12Mlađi mu reče: ‘Oče, daj mi sada dio baštine koji mi pripada.’ I otac podijeli imanje.
13Nakon nekoliko dana mlađi sin pokupi sve, otputuje u daleku zemlju i ondje potroši sav novac živeći raspušteno. 14Kad je potratio sav novac, u toj zemlji zavlada velika glad te on počne oskudijevati. 15Zaposli se kao najamnik pri nekom seljaku te mu je pasao svinje. 16Mladić je bio tako gladan da bi rado jeo i ljuske od mahuna što su ih jele svinje, ali nitko mu ih nije davao.
17Kad je napokon došao k sebi, reče: ‘Pri mojemu ocu i najamnici imaju hrane napretek, a ja ovdje umirem od gladi! 18Idem doma, ocu, i reći ću mu: “Oče, zgriješio sam i tebi i Bogu. 19Nisam više dostojan zvati se tvojim sinom. Molim te, primi me da radim pri tebi kao najamnik.”’
20I vrati se doma ocu. Dok je još bio daleko, otac ga ugleda pa ganut potrči pred njega, zagrli ga i izljubi. 21‘Oče! Zgriješio sam i tebi i Bogu! Nisam više dostojan zvati se tvojim sinom’, reče sin.
22Ali otac reče slugama: ‘Brzo donesite haljinu, onu najljepšu, i obucite ga! Stavite mu prsten na ruku, obujte mu sandale! 23I zakoljite ono ugojeno tele da se pogostimo i proslavimo 24što mi je sin bio mrtav, a sada je živ, bio je izgubljen, a sada je nađen!’ I započne veselje.
25Stariji je sin radio u polju. Kad se na povratku približio kući, začuje da se unutra svira i pleše. 26Dozove nekog slugu da ga upita što se događa. 27‘Vratio ti se brat, pa je otac zaklao ugojeno tele da proslavi što mu se sin vratio živ i zdrav.’
28Stariji se brat nato rasrdi i nije htio ući. Otac ga iziđe moliti da uđe. 29‘Ja ti tolike godine služim i nikada nisam odbio učiniti što mi kažeš, ali meni nikad nisi ni jare dao da se proveselim s prijateljima. 30Ali tvoj je sin s bludnicama potratio imanje, a ti mu zakolješ najbolje ugojeno tele!’ reče mu sin.
31‘Sinko,’ reče otac, ‘pa ti si stalno sa mnom. Sve što imam pripada tebi. 32Ali trebalo je proslaviti i radovati se jer tvoj je brat bio mrtav, a sada je živ, bio je izgubljen, a sada je nađen.’”
