nkjv Luke:15 SEEK
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Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him .
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And the Pharisees and scribes complained ,
saying , "
This Man receives sinners and eats with them ."
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So He spoke this parable to them ,
saying :
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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 .
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Now his older son was in the field .
And as he came and drew near to the house ,
he heard music and dancing .
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So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant .
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And he said to him , "
Your brother has come ,
and because he has received him safe and sound ,
your father has killed the fatted calf .'
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But he was angry and would not go in .
Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him .
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So he answered and said to his father , "
Lo ,
these many years I have been serving you ;
I never transgressed your commandment at any time ;
and yet you never gave me a young goat ,
that I might make merry with my friends .
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But as soon as this son of yours came ,
who has devoured your livelihood with harlots ,
you killed the fatted calf for him .'
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And he said to him , "
Son ,
you are always with me ,
and all that I have is yours .
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It was right that we should make merry and be glad ,
for your brother was dead and is alive again ,
and was lost and is found ."'