Luke 15:1-9

1One day, many bad people and men who took taxes from people were coming round Jesus. They all wanted to hear what Jesus was saying.

2The Pharisees and teachers of God's Law did not like this. ‘This man is friendly with people that do not obey God,’ they said. ‘He even eats with them in their homes.’

3So Jesus told them this story:

4‘Think about a man who has 100 sheep. He may lose one of them. What does he do then? He leaves all his other sheep in the fields. Then he goes. He looks for the sheep that he has lost. He looks until he finds it.

5When he finds the sheep, he is very happy. He lifts it up and he puts it across his shoulders.

6Then he carries it back home. He speaks to all his friends and to the people that live near him. He says, “I have found the sheep that I lost. So come to my house and we can all be happy together.”

7When one person stops doing wrong things, it is like that. It makes those that live with God in heaven very happy. They will be happier about that one person, than about 99 people who already obey God.’

8Jesus told them another story: ‘Now think about a woman who has ten valuable coins. She may lose one of them. What does she do then? She lights a lamp and she sweeps inside her house. She looks carefully until she finds the coin.

9Then she speaks to all her friends and to those that live near to her. She says to them, “I have found the coin that I lost. So come to my house and we can all be happy together.”