Section XXVI.

Section XXVI.

[1, 2] ¹⁸⁰⁷And there came unto him publicans and sinners to hear his word.  ¹⁸⁰⁸And the scribes and the Pharisees murmured, and said, This man receiveth sinners, and [3] eateth with them.  ¹⁸⁰⁹And Jesus, when he beheld their murmuring, spake unto them [4] this parable:  ¹⁸¹⁰What 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?  ¹⁸¹¹Verily I say unto you, When he findeth it, he will rejoice over it [6] more than over the ninety-nine that went not astray; ¹⁸¹²and bear it on his shoulders, and bring it to his house, and call his friends and neighbours, ¹⁸¹³and say unto them, [7] Rejoice with me, since I have found my straying sheep.  ¹⁸¹⁴So your Father which is in heaven willeth¹⁸¹⁵ not that one of these little ones that have strayed should perish, [8] and he seeketh for them repentance.  ¹⁸¹⁶I 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] ¹⁸¹⁷And 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; ¹⁸¹⁸and 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?  ¹⁸¹⁹I 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] ¹⁸²⁰And Jesus spake unto them also another parable:  ¹⁸²¹A 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.  ¹⁸²²And 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.  ¹⁸²³And when he had exhausted everything he had, there occurred a great dearth in that country.  [16] ¹⁸²⁴And 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 field¹⁸²⁵ to feed the swine.  ¹⁸²⁶And he used to long to fill his belly with the carob that those swine were eating:  and no man [18] gave him.  ¹⁸²⁷And 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!  ¹⁸²⁸I will arise and go to my father’s house, and say unto him, My father, ¹⁸²⁹I [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.  ¹⁸³⁰And 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.  ¹⁸³³And 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.  ¹⁸³⁴His 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:  ¹⁸³⁵and bring and [25] slay a fatted ox, that we may eat and make merry:  ¹⁸³⁶for this my son was dead, and is [26] [Arabic, p. 102] alive; and was lost, and is found.  ¹⁸³⁷And 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.  ¹⁸⁴¹He 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.  ¹⁸⁴⁴And 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? ¹⁸⁴⁵but this thy son, when he had squandered thy [32] property with harlots, and come, thou hast slain for him a fatted ox.  ¹⁸⁴⁶His father said unto him, My son, thou art at all times with me, and everything I have is [33] thine.  ¹⁸⁴⁷It behoveth thee to rejoice and make merry, since this thy brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found.

[34] ¹⁸⁴⁸And 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.  ¹⁸⁴⁹So 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.  ¹⁸⁵⁰The 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 beg¹⁸⁵¹ I [37] am ashamed.  ¹⁸⁵²I know what I will do, that, when I go out of the stewardship, they [38] may receive me into their houses.  ¹⁸⁵³And he called one after another of his lord’s [39] debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou my lord?  ¹⁸⁵⁴He said unto him, An hundred portions¹⁸⁵⁵ 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.  ¹⁸⁵⁸And our¹⁸⁵⁹ lord commended the sinful steward¹⁸⁶⁰ 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.  ¹⁸⁶¹And 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.  ¹⁸⁶³He who is faithful in¹⁸⁶⁴ a little is faithful also in much:  and he who is unrighteous in a [44] little is unrighteous also in much.  ¹⁸⁶⁵If 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?