The Parables · Command Center

• 13Then someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
• 14But Jesus said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”
• 15Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
• 16He then told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop,
• 17so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
• 18Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
• 19And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’
• 20But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
• 21So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”

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• 24“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.
• 25The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on rock.
• 26Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
• 27The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed—it was utterly destroyed!”

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• 11While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.
• 12Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
• 13And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’
• 14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’
• 15When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading.
• 16So the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.’
• 17And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’
• 18Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’
• 19So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
• 20Then another slave came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth.
• 21For I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’
• 22The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow?
• 23Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’
• 24And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’
• 25But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’
• 26‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
• 27But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’”

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• 1Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake.
• 2He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching said to them:
• 3“Listen! A sower went out to sow.
• 4And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
• 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
• 6When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered.
• 7Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain.
• 8But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times.”
• 9And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!”
• 10When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
• 11He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,
• 12“so that although they look they may look but not see,and although they hear they may hear but not understand,so they may not repent and be forgiven.”
• 13He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable?
• 14The sower sows the word.
• 15These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them.
• 16These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy.
• 17But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
• 18Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word,
• 19but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
• 20But these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”

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• 31He gave them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
• 32It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.”
• 33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

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• 24He presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.
• 25But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away.
• 26When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the darnel also appeared.
• 27So the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the darnel come from?’
• 28He said, ‘An enemy has done this!’ So the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather it?’
• 29But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the darnel you may uproot the wheat along with it.
• 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

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• 14“For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.
• 15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
• 16The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more.
• 17In the same way, the one who had two gained two more.
• 18But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it.
• 19After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them.
• 20The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
• 21His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
• 22The one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’
• 23His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
• 24Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed,
• 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
• 26But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?
• 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!
• 28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10.
• 29For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
• 30And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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• 1Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets.
• 2So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’
• 3Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg.
• 4I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
• 5So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
• 6The man replied, ‘100 measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write 50.’
• 7Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘100 measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write 80.’
• 8The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light.
• 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out, you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.
• 10“The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
• 11If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches?
• 12And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own?
• 13No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

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• 1Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.
• 2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people.
• 3There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
• 4For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,
• 5yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’”
• 6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says!
• 7Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them?
• 8I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

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• 35“Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning;
• 36be like people waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks, they can immediately open the door for him.
• 37Blessed are those slaves whom their master finds alert when he returns! I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, have them take their place at the table, and will come and wait on them!
• 38Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, blessed are those slaves!

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• 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
• 2And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
• 3When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work.
• 4He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’
• 5So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing.
• 6And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’
• 7They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’
• 8When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’
• 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay.
• 10And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage.
• 11When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner,
• 12saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’
• 13And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage?
• 14Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you.
• 15Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
• 16So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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• 1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
• 2Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise.
• 3When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them.
• 4But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps.
• 5When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
• 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’
• 7Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
• 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
• 9‘No,’ they replied. ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
• 10But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut.
• 11Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’
• 12But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’
• 13Therefore stay alert because you do not know the day or the hour.

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• 31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
• 32All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
• 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
• 34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
• 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
• 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
• 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
• 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?
• 39When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
• 40And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
• 41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!
• 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.
• 43I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
• 44Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’
• 45Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’
• 46And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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• 21Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?”
• 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times!
• 23“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.
• 24As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed 10,000 talents was brought to him.
• 25Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made.
• 26Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’
• 27The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt.
• 28After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’
• 29Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’
• 30But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt.
• 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place.
• 32Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me!
• 33Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’
• 34And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed.
• 35So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”

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• 44“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
• 45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.
• 46When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

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• 9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.
• 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
• 11The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
• 12I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’
• 13The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’
• 14I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

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• 1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
• 2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
• 3He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come.
• 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’
• 5But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.
• 6The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them.
• 7The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.
• 8Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy.
• 9So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’
• 10And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
• 11But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
• 12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say.
• 13Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’
• 14For many are called, but few are chosen.”

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• 15When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God!”
• 16But Jesus said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests.
• 17At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’
• 18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’
• 19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’
• 20Another said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’
• 21So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’
• 22Then the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’
• 23So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled.
• 24For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”

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• 19“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
• 20But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,
• 21who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.
• 22“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
• 23And in Hades, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.
• 24So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.’
• 25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.
• 26Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’
• 27So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house
• 28(for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’
• 29But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’
• 30Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
• 31He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

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• 25Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
• 26He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”
• 27The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
• 28Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
• 29But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
• 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead.
• 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man, he passed by on the other side.
• 32So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
• 33But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.
• 34He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring olive oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
• 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’
• 36Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
• 37The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

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• 1Then he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.
• 2At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop.
• 3But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
• 4So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously.
• 5He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed.
• 6He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
• 7But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’
• 8So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.
• 9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
• 10Have you not read this scripture:“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
• 11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
• 12Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

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• 36Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.
• 37Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil.
• 38As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil.
• 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
• 40So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
• 41“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him 500 silver coins, and the other 50.
• 42When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
• 43Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
• 44Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
• 45You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.
• 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil.
• 47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
• 48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
• 49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
• 50He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. netbible.com All rights reserved.

• 1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him.
• 2But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
• 3So Jesus told them this parable:
• 4“Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?
• 5Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
• 6Returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my sheep that was lost.’
• 7I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
• 8“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?
• 9Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
• 10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. netbible.com All rights reserved.

• 11Then Jesus said, “A man had two sons.
• 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them.
• 13After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.
• 14Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need.
• 15So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
• 16He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
• 17But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger!
• 18I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
• 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’
• 20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him.
• 21Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
• 22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet!
• 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,
• 24because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
• 25“Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
• 26So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening.
• 27The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’
• 28But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him,
• 29but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!
• 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
• 31Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.
• 32It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. netbible.com All rights reserved.