Luke 15:11-32
The apostle Luke writing (God speaking via scripture...The
Word), being essentially entirely direct quotes of Jesus' parable of the
lost son (the prodigal son)...that the Father is always ready for the return of
all of those who are "sons" and left.
[after reading below, check commentary]
NIV Bible 1973-78: 11Jesus
continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The 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. 14After
he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he
began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen
of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He 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! 18I
will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called
your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So 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.[1]
'
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 fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For
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. 26So 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. 29But 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. 30But 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. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad,
because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is
found.' "
Wycliffe Bible of 1384: 15:11 And he seide,
A man hadde twei sones;
15:12 and the yonger of hem seide to the fadir, Fadir, yyue me the porcioun of
catel, that fallith to me. And he departide to hem the catel.
15:13 And not aftir many daies, whanne alle thingis weren gederid togider, the
yonger sone wente forth in pilgrymage in to a fer cuntre; and there he wastide
hise goodis in lyuynge lecherously.
15:14 And aftir that he hadde endid alle thingis, a strong hungre was maad in
that cuntre, and he bigan to haue nede.
15:15 And he wente, and drouy hym to oon of the citeseyns of that cuntre. And he
sente hym in to his toun, to fede swyn.
15:16 And he coueitide to fille his wombe of the coddis that the hoggis eeten,
and no man yaf hym.
15:17 And he turnede ayen to hym silf, and seide, Hou many hirid men in my fadir
hous han plente of looues; and Y perische here thorouy hungir.
15:18 Y schal rise vp, and go to my fadir, and Y schal seie to hym, Fadir, Y
haue synned in to heuene, and bifor thee;
15:19 and now Y am not worthi to be clepid thi sone, make me as oon of thin
hirid men.
15:20 And he roos vp, and cam to his fadir. And whanne he was yit afer, his
fadir saiy hym, and was stirrid bi mercy. And he ran, and fel on his necke, and
kisside hym.
15:21 And the sone seide to hym, Fadir, Y haue synned in to heuene, and bifor
thee; and now Y am not worthi to be clepid thi sone.
15:22 And the fadir seide to hise seruauntis, Swithe brynge ye forth the firste
stoole, and clothe ye hym, and yyue ye a ryng in his hoond,
15:23 and schoon on hise feet; and brynge ye a fat calf, and sle ye, and ete we,
and make we feeste.
15:24 For this my sone was deed, and hath lyued ayen; he perischid, and is
foundun. And alle men bigunnen to ete.
15:25 But his eldere sone was in the feeld; and whanne he cam, and neiyede to
the hous, he herde a symfonye and a croude.
15:26 And he clepide oon of the seruauntis, and axide, what these thingis weren.
15:27 And he seide to hym, Thi brother is comun, and thi fadir slewe a fat calf,
for he resseyuede hym saaf.
15:28 And he was wrooth, and wolde not come in. Therfor his fadir wente out, and
bigan to preye hym.
15:29 And he answerde to his fadir, and seide, Lo! so many yeeris Y serue thee,
and Y neuer brak thi comaundement; and thou neuer yaf to me a kidde, that Y with
my freendis schulde haue ete.
15:30 But aftir that this thi sone, that hath deuourid his substaunce with horis,
cam, thou hast slayn to hym a fat calf.
15:31 And he seide to hym, Sone, thou art euer more with me, and alle my thingis
ben thine.
15:32 But it bihofte for to make feeste, and to haue ioye; for this thi brother
was deed, and lyuede ayen; he perischide, and is foundun.
King James Bible of 1611: 11And
he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 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.
13 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.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty
famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of
that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the
husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 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!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say
unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make
me as one of thy hired servants.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it;
and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he
was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he
came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what
these things meant.
27 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.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore
came his father out, and intreated him.
29 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:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me,
and all that I have is thine.
32 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.
NAS Bible of 1960: 11And He
said, "A man had two sons.
12 "The younger of them said to his father,
'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his
wealth between them.
13 "And not many days later, the younger son
gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and
there he squandered his estate with loose living.
14 "Now when he had spent everything, a severe
famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.
15 "So he went and hired himself out to one of
the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach
with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.
17 "But when he came to his senses, he said,
'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying
here with hunger!
18 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say
to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make
me as one of your hired men."'
20 "So he got up and came to his father. But
while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for
him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have
sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your
son.'
22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly
bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and
sandals on his feet;
23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us
eat and celebrate;
24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to
life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.
25 "Now his older son was in the field, and
when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 "And he summoned one of the servants and
began inquiring what these things could be.
27 "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back
safe and sound.'
28 "But he became angry and was not willing to
go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
29 "But he answered and said to his father,
'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a
command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might
celebrate with my friends;
30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured
your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'
31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you have always
been with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this
brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been
found.'"