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The Prodigal Son
And he said, A certain man had two
sons:
And the younger of them said to his
father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after the younger
son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country,
and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose
a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to a
citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed
swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly
with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said,
How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to
spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and
will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before
thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one
of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father.
But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, Father,
I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants,
Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on
his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf,
and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field:
and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and
dancing.
And he called one of the servants,
and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, Thy brother is
come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath
received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and would not go
in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
And he answering said to his father,
Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at
any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid,
that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come,
which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed
for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art
ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we should make merry,
and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again;
and was lost, and is found.
(Luke 15:11-32)
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