Luke:15:11-32

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* He went on to say , »There was a man who had two sons . * The younger of them said to his father , »`Father , give me the share of the property that comes to me .' «So he divided his wealth between them . * No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country , where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess . * At last , when he had spent everything , there came a terrible famine throughout that country , and he began to feel the pinch of want . * So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country , who sent him on to his farm to tend swine ; * and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating , but no one gave him any . * »But on coming to himself he said ,« `How many of my father 's hired men have more bread than they want , while I here am dying of hunger ! * I will rise and go to my father , and will say to him , Father , I have sinned against Heaven and before you : * I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours : treat me as one of your hired men .' * »So he rose and came to his father . But while he was still a long way off , his father saw him and pitied him , and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly .« * »`Father ,' cried the son , `I have sinned against Heaven and before you : no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours .'« * »But the father said to his servants ,« `Fetch a good coat quickly –the best one – and put it on him ; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet . * Fetch the fat calf and kill it , and let us feast and enjoy ourselves ; * for my son here was dead and has come to life again : he was lost and has been found .' »And they began to be merry . * »Now his elder son was out on the farm ; and when he returned and came near home , he heard music and dancing .« * Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant . * »`Your brother has come ,' he replied ; `and your father has had the fat calf killed , because he has got him home safe and sound .'« * »Then he was angry and would not go in . But his father came out and entreated him .« * »`All these years ,' replied the son , `I have been slaving for you , and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders , and yet you have never given me so much as a kid , for me to enjoy myself with my friends ;« * but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women , you have killed the fat calf for him .' * »`You my dear son ,' said the father , `are always with me , and all that is mine is also yours .« * We are bound to make merry and rejoice , for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life , he was lost and has been found .'«

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