Joshua tells the parable of the lost sheep
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Joshua tells the parable of the lost coin
8 Either what woman having ten
pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the
house, and seek diligently till she find it?
9 And when she hath found it,
she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Likewise, I say unto you,
there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that
repenteth.
Joshua tells the parable of the lost son
11 And he said,
A certain man had two sons:
12 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.
13 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.
14 And when he had spent all,
there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed
swine.
16 And he would fain have filled
his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 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!
18 I will arise and go to my
father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before
thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be
called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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:
23
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother iscome; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 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:
30 But
as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And
he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 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.
Joshua tells the parable of the shrewd accountant
33 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
34 And he called him, and said
unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy
stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
35 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
36 I am resolved what to do,
that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
37 So he called
every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much
owest thou unto my lord?
38 And he said, An hundred
measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and
write fifty.
39 Then said he to another, And
how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
40 And the lord
commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of
this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
41 And I say unto you, Make to
yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
42 He that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is
unjust also in much.
43 If therefore ye have not been
faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true
riches?
44 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall
give you that which is your own?
45 No servant
can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
46 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous,
heard all these things: and they derided him.
47 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
48 The law and the prophets were
until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man
presseth into it.
49 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
50 Whosoever putteth away his
wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Joshua tells about the rich man and the beggar
51 There was a certain rich
man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day:
52 And there was a certain
beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
53 And desiring to be fed with
the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and
licked his sores.
54 And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
55 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
56 And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his
finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
57 But Abraham said, Son,
remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
58 And beside all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence
to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
59 Then he said, I pray thee
therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
60 For I have five brethren;
that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
61 Abraham saith unto him, They
have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
62 And he said,
Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
63 And he said
unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded, though one rose from the dead.