12And he said also to him who bade him: When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brothers, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14And happy shalt thou be, because they can not recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.
15And a certain one of those who reclined at table with him, hearing these things, said to him: Happy is he, who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! 16And he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and bade many. 17And he sent his servant, at the hour of the supper, to say to those who were bidden: Come, for all things are now ready. 18And they all, with one mind, began[18] to excuse themselves. The first said to him: I bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee let me be excused. 19And another said: I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to make trial of them; I pray thee let me be excused. 20And another said: I married a wife; and therefore I can not come.
21And the servant came, and reported these things to his lord. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and maimed, and lame, and blind. 22And the servant said: Lord, it is done as thou didst command, and yet there is room. 23And the Lord said to the servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them[23] to come in, that my house may be filled; 24for I say to you, that none of those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25And great multitudes were going with him; and turning, he said to them: 26If any one comes to me, and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own life besides, he can not be my disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, can not be my disciple. 28For who of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down, and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? 29Lest haply, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, 30saying: This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not first sit down and consult, whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Else, while he is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy, and desires conditions of peace.
33So then, whoever of you forsakes not all that he has can not be my disciple. 34Salt therefore is good; but if even the salt has become tasteless, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35It is fit neither for the land, nor for the dunghill; they cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
XV. And there were drawing near to him all the publicans and the sinners to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receives sinners, and eats with them.
3And he spoke this parable to them, saying: 4What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he finds it? 5And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And coming home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me; because I found my sheep which was lost. 7I say to you, that so there will be joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who have no need of repentance.
8Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till she finds it? 9And having found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying: Rejoice with me; because I found the piece which I lost. 10So, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.
11And he said: A certain man had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of the property that falls to me. And he divided to them his living. 13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and went abroad into a far country, and there wasted his substance in riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a grievous famine in that country; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine ate; and no one gave to him. 17And coming to himself, he said: How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him: Father, I sinned against heaven, and before thee. 19I am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.
20And 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. 21And the son said to him: Father, I sinned against heaven, and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants: Bring forth a robe, the best, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet; 23and bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry. 24Because this my son was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.