NgokukaLuka
15 Bonke abaqoqi bentela nezoni babelokhu bemzungeza ukuze bamlalele. + 2 Kokubili abaFarisi nababhali babelokhu bevungazela, bethi: “Lo muntu wamukela izoni adle nazo.” 3 Wabe esebaxoxela lo mfanekiso: 4 “Ubani phakathi kwenu ongathi enezimvu ezingu-100, okungathi lapho elahlekelwa eyodwa kuzo angazishiyi ezingu-99 ehlane ahambe ayofuna elahlekile aze ayithole? + 5 Lapho eseyitholile, uyayitshatha ajabule. 6 Lapho efika ekhaya, ubiza abangani bakhe nomakhelwane bakhe, athi kubo, ‘Jabulani kanye nami, ngoba ngiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’ + 7 Ngiyanitshela ngithi ngendlela efanayo, kuyoba nenjabulo eyengeziwe ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo + kunabangu-99 abalungile abangenasidingo sokuphenduka.
8 “Noma, ukhona yini owesifazane onezinhlamvu zesiliva* eziyishumi, okuthi uma elahlekelwa uhlamvu lwesiliva* olulodwa, angakhanyisi isibani ashanele indlu yakhe alufune ngokucophelela aze aluthole? 9 Lapho eselutholile, ubiza abangani bakhe* nomakhelwane, athi, ‘Jabulani kanye nami, ngoba ngilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva* obelungilahlekele.’ 10 Ngendlela efanayo, ngiyanitshela, kuba khona injabulo phakathi kwezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.” +
11 Wabe esethi: “Umuntu othile wayenamadodana amabili. 12 Encane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, nginike ingxenye yempahla okufanele ize kimi.’ Ngakho, wawahlukanisela impahla yakhe. 13 Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, indodana encane yaqoqa zonke izinto yaya ezweni elikude, yasaphaza lapho impahla yayo ngokuphila ukuphila kokuzitika ngamanyala.* 14 Lapho isikusebenzise konke eyayinakho, kwaba khona indlala enkulu kulo lonke lelo zwe, yaqala ukuswela. 15 Yaze yahamba yazihlanganisa nesinye sezakhamuzi zalelo zwe esayithumela emadlelweni aso ukuba yeluse izingulube. + 16 Yayifisa ukusuthiswa ukudla kwezingulube, kodwa akekho owayeyinika utho.
17 “Lapho isanguluka, yathi, ‘Yeka ukuthi ziningi kangakanani izisebenzi zikababa ezinenala yesinkwa, kuyilapho mina ngifa indlala lapha! 18 Ngizosuka ngiye kubaba ngithi kuye: “Baba, ngonile kulo izulu nakuwe. 19 Akusangifanele ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho. Ngenze ngibe omunye wezisebenzi zakho.” ’ 20 Ngakho yasuka yaya kuyise. Lapho isekude, uyise wayibona wayihawukela, wagijima wayanga ngothando wayiqabula. 21 Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu nakuwe. + Akusangifanele ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.’ 22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Sheshani! Khiphani ingubo enhle kunazo zonke, nimgqokise yona, nifake indandatho esandleni sakhe nezimbadada ezinyaweni zakhe. 23 Lethani nethole elikhuluphele, nilihlabe, sidle sihalalise, 24 ngoba le ndodana yami ibifile, manje isiyaphila; + ibilahlekile, manje isitholakele.’ Baqala ukuzijabulisa.
25 “Indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini, njengoba ibuya futhi isondela ngasendlini, yezwa umculo nokudansa. 26 Ngakho yabiza enye yezinceku yayibuza ukuthi kwenzekani. 27 Yathi kuyo, ‘Umfowenu ubuyile, uyihlo umhlabele ithole elikhuluphele, ngoba umthole ephile saka.’* 28 Kodwa yathukuthela, yenqaba ukungena ngaphakathi. Uyise waphuma wayincenga. 29 Iphendula yathi kuyise, ‘Bheka! Sekuyiminyaka eminingi ngiyinceku yakho futhi angikaze nakanye ngeqe imiyalo yakho, kodwa awukaze nakanye unginike izinyane ukuze ngizijabulise nabangani bami. 30 Kodwa ngokushesha nje lapho kufika le ndodana yakho eyadla izinto zakho nezifebe, uyihlabele ithole elikhuluphele.’ 31 Uyise wathi kuyo, ‘Ndodana yami, ubulokhu unami sonke lesi sikhathi, zonke izinto zami ezakho. 32 Kodwa bekufanele sihalalise futhi sijabule, ngoba umfowenu ubefile manje useyaphila; ubelahlekile manje usetholakele.’ ”