4
"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
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And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
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And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'
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I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
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"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
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And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!'
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Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
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Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
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And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.
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And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
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But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
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Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
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And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
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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, and I perish with hunger!
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I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
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and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." '
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And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
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And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
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But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
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And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
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for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.