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The
Parable of the Prodigal
Son
And he said, A
certain man had two sons:
And the younger of
them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth
to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days
after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a
far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent
all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
And he went and
joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his
fields to feed swine.
And he would fain
have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man
gave unto him.
And when he came to
himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough
and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I
will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy
to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and
came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw
him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto
him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no
more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said
to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a
ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the
fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be
merry.
Now his elder son was
in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick
and dancing.
And he called one of
the servants, and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him,
Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because
he hath received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and
would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
And he answering said
to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed
I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I
might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this
thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast
killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him,
Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we
should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is
alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Luke 15:10-32
(Likewise, I say unto
you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
that repenteth.)
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