1 And now many people wanted to listen to Jesus. Some of them worked for the Roman rulers, taking tax money from other Jewish people to give to the Romans. They came up to Jesus with some other bad people.

2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of Moses' law grumbled. They said, “Jesus doesn't send bad people away. He calls them to him and even eats with them.”

3 Because of their grumbling Jesus told the people three stories.

4 A man had 100 sheep. If one of them got lost, what would he do? I will tell you. He will leave those other sheep eating grass and go looking for the one sheep that is lost.

He will go on and on searching for it until he finds it. 5 When he has found it, he will pick it up and put it on his shoulders. He will be very happy. 6 He will go home carrying it on his shoulders and he will get all his friends together and say to them, “Come on, let us celebrate because now I have found my sheep that was lost.”

7 Then Jesus went on to say, “God's angels are happy when one person stops doing wrong. Look, the angels are happy when 99 people do what is right, but they are much happier when just one bad person stops doing wrong and obeys God.”

8 “Now listen to another story,” said Jesus.

A woman had ten precious coins. But if one got lost, what would the woman do? She will look everywhere for the little coin she has lost. She will light a lamp and sweep her house carefully.

She will keep on searching until she finds it. 9 Then when she has found it she will get her friends together and say to them, “Come on, let us celebrate today, because now I have found my coin that was lost.”

10 Then Jesus said, “Just as that woman is happy, the angels in heaven are happy when even one person stops doing wrong and obeys God.”

11 Then Jesus told them one more story.

A man and his two sons lived together. 12 One day the younger son said to his father, “Father, count up all your things and divide your land and everything today, so that I can take my share.” So his father counted everything, he divided it all between the two men, half for the older brother and half for the younger one.

13 A little while later the younger son sold his share of the land. And then he went away to a different country. He took all his money and everything and left home and went a long way away.

He went on and on until he reached a town and stayed there. But he didn't look after his money, he didn't think about later on and he quickly wasted it. He used it all up. 14 He didn't have a thing left; it was all gone. He became very poor.

Then there was very little food in that country and he was very hungry and wanted some food to eat. 15 So he went to a man's place and asked him for work, and then he began to work for him. The man sent him to look after his pigs. 16 He wanted to fill himself with the pigs' food, because no one gave him anything to eat. The pigs used to eat the skins that people threw away after they peeled the skins from the seeds.

17 Then he remembered and said to himself, “Those men who work for my father eat plenty of food, but here I am starving. 18-19 So I will go back to my father and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned. People can't call me your son any longer, because I haven't obeyed God or you. I want you to treat me like you treat the people who work for you. I will work like them and I won't be your son any more.’ ” 20 So he got up and went home to his father.

He went on and on. Then while he was still a long way away, his father saw him coming in the distance, and he had pity on him and ran to meet him and threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 Then his son said to him, “Father, I have sinned. I haven't obeyed God or you. I am not your son any longer because I am so bad.”

22 But his father called his servants and said to them, “Be quick, everyone! Bring the best coat and put it on him. And put a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. 23 And go and get the fat calf and kill it and roast it. Then we will have a feast and eat plenty of meat and other food and celebrate, 24 because my son was dead but now he is alive. He was lost and I have found him again.” And so they began to eat.

25 At that time the older son was working outside. When he was on the way home and came near the house, he heard them playing music and dancing. 26 So he called one of his father's servants and asked, “What are they doing?”

27 The servant answered, “Your brother has come back. Your father told us to kill the fat calf because he came back again alive and well.”

28 The older son was very angry and he wouldn't go inside the house. So his father came outside and said, “Please come inside, don't stay out here.”

29 But he said to his father, “Look, I have worked for you. I have worked for many years right up until today, just like these people work for you. I have never disobeyed you, but you have never given me even one goat for me to eat with my friends. 30 But this son of yours has wasted all your money on bad women. And now he has come home and you have told the servants to kill the fat calf for him.”

31 “My son,” his father answered, “you are always here with me and everything I have is yours. 32 But we must eat and be happy because my son was dead but now he is alive. He was lost but now I have found him.”