Section XXVI

Section XXVI.

[1, 2] 1807 And there came unto him publicans and sinners to hear his word. 1808 And the scribes and the Pharisees murmured, and said, This man receiveth sinners, and [3] eateth with them. 1809 And Jesus, when he beheld their murmuring, spake unto them [4] this parable: 1810 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if one of them were lost, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go and seek the straying one [5] till he found it? 1811 Verily I say unto you, When he findeth it, he will rejoice over it [6] more than over the ninety-nine that went not astray; 1812 and bear it on his shoulders, and bring it to his house, and call his friends and neighbours, 1813 and say unto them, [7] Rejoice with me, since I have found my straying sheep. 1814 So your Father which is in heaven willeth 1815 not that one of these little ones that have strayed should perish, [8] and he seeketh for them repentance. 1816 I say unto you, Thus there shall be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.

[9] 1817 And what woman having ten drachmas would lose one of them, and not light a [10] lamp, and sweep the house, and seek it with care till she found it; 1818 and when she found it, call her friends and neighbours, and say unto them, Rejoice with me, as I [11] have found my drachma that was lost? 1819 I say unto you, Thus there shall be joy [Arabic, p. 101] before the angels of God over the one sinner that repenteth, more than over the ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.

[12, 13] 1820 And Jesus spake unto them also another parable: 1821 A man had two sons: and the younger son said unto him, My father, give me my portion that belongeth to [14] me of thy goods. 1822 And he divided between them his property. And after a few days the younger son gathered everything that belonged to him, and went into a [15] far country, and there squandered his property by living prodigally. 1823 And when he p. 84 had exhausted everything he had, there occurred a great dearth in that country. [16] 1824 And when he was in want, he went and joined himself to one of the people of a city [17] of that country; and that man sent him into the field 1825 to feed the swine. 1826 And he used to long to fill his belly with the carob that those swine were eating: and no man [18] gave him. 1827 And when he returned unto himself, he said, How many hired servants now in my father’s house have bread enough and to spare, while I here perish with [19] hunger! 1828 I will arise and go to my father’s house, and say unto him, My father, 1829 I [20] have sinned in heaven and before thee, and am not worthy now to be called thy [21] son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 1830 And he arose, and came to his father. But his father saw him while he was at a distance, and was moved with compassion [22] for him, and ran, 1831 and fell on his breast, 1832 and kissed him. 1833 And his son said unto him, My father, I have sinned in heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be [23] called thy son. 1834 His father said unto his servants, Bring forth a stately robe, and put [24] it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and put on him shoes on his feet: 1835 and bring and [25] slay a fatted ox, that we may eat and make merry: 1836 for this my son was dead, and is [26] [Arabic, p. 102] alive; and was lost, and is found. 1837 And they began to be merry. 1838 Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and drew near to the house, [27] he heard the sound of many singing. 1839 1840 And he called one of the lads, and asked him [28] what this was. 1841 He said unto him, Thy brother hath arrived; and thy father hath [29] slain a fatted ox, since he hath received him safe and sound. 1842 1843 And he was angry, [30] and would not enter; so his father went out, and besought him to enter. 1844 And he said to his father, How many years do I serve thee in bondage, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and thou hast never given me a kid, that I might [31] make merry with my friends? 1845 but this thy son, when he had squandered thy [32] property with harlots, and come, thou hast slain for him a fatted ox. 1846 His father said unto him, My son, thou art at all times with me, and everything I have is [33] thine. 1847 It behoveth thee to rejoice and make merry, since this thy brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found.

[34] 1848 And he spake a parable unto his disciples: There was a rich man, and he had [35] a steward; and he was accused to him that he had squandered his property. 1849 So his lord called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear regarding thee? Give me the account of thy stewardship; for it is now impossible that thou shouldest [36] be a steward for me. 1850 The steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; and to beg 1851 I [37] am ashamed. 1852 I know what I will do, that, when I go out of the stewardship, they [38] may receive me into their houses. 1853 And he called one after another of his lord’s [39] debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou my lord? 1854 He said unto him, An hundred portions 1855 of oil. He said unto him, Take thy writing, and sit down, and write [40] quickly fifty portions. 1856 1857 And he said to the next, And thou, how much owest thou my lord? He said unto him, An hundred cors of wheat. He said unto him, Take [41] [Arabic, p. 103] thy writing, and sit down, and write eighty cors. 1858 And our 1859 lord commended the sinful steward 1860 because he had done a wise deed; for the children [42] of this world are wiser than the children of the light in this their age. 1861 And I also say unto you, Make unto yourselves friends with the wealth of this unrighteousness; 1862 [43] so that, when it is exhausted, they may receive you into their tents for ever. 1863 He who is faithful in 1864 a little is faithful also in much: and he who is unrighteous in a [44] little is unrighteous also in much. 1865 If then in the wealth of unrighteousness ye were [45] not trustworthy, who will intrust you with the truth? 1866 1867 If ye are not found faithful in what does not belong to you, who will give you what belongeth to you?