8. “Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it?
9. When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin that I lost.’
10. So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”
11. Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons.
12. The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13. “After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle.
14. He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on.
15. So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields.
16. No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating.
17. “Finally, he came to his senses. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more food than they can eat, while I’m starving to death here?
18. I’ll go at once to my father, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you.
19. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men.” ’
20. “So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him.
21. Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’
22. “The father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s celebrate with a feast.
24. My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
25. “His older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26. He called to one of the servants and asked what was happening.
27. “The servant told him, ‘Your brother has come home. So your father has killed the fattened calf to celebrate your brother’s safe return.’