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Jesus
continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one
said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So
he divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he
had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth
in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe
famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he
went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent
him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with
the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my
father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to
death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no
longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your
hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him
and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw
his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best
robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on
his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast
and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near
the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the
servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,'
he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because
he has him back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his
father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father,
'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never
disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so
I could celebrate with my friends. 'But when this son
of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes
home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything
I have is yours.
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