1, 2 And there came unto him publicans and sinners to hear his word. And the scribes and the Pharisees murmured, and said, This man receives sinners, and 3 eats with them. And Jesus, when he beheld their murmuring, spoke unto them 4 this parable: 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? Verily I say unto you, When he finds it, he will rejoice over it 6 more than over the ninety-nine that went not astray; and bear it on his shoulders, and bring it to his house, and call his friends and neighbours, and say unto them, 7 Rejoice with me, since I have found my straying sheep. So your Father which is in heaven wills not that one of these little ones that have strayed should perish, 8 and he seeks for them repentance. I say unto you, Thus there shall be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.
9 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; 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? I say unto you, Thus there shall be joy [Arabic, p. 101] before the angels of God over the one sinner that repents, more than over the ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.
12, 13 And Jesus spoke unto them also another parable: A man had two sons: and the younger son said unto him, My father, give me my portion that belongs to 14 me of your goods. 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. And when he had exhausted everything he had, there occurred a great dearth in that country. 16 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 to feed the swine. And he used to long to fill his belly with the carob that those swine were eating: and no man 18 gave him. 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! I will arise and go to my father's house, and say unto him, My father, I 20 have sinned in heaven and before you, and am not worthy now to be called your 21 son: make me as one of your hired servants. 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, and fell on his breast, and kissed him. And his son said unto him, My father, I have sinned in heaven and before you, and am not worthy to be 23 called your son. 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: and bring and 25 slay a fatted ox, that we may eat and make merry: for this my son was dead, and is 26 [Arabic, p. 102] alive; and was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 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. And he called one of the lads, and asked him 28 what this was. He said unto him, Your brother has arrived; and your father has 29 slain a fatted ox, since he has received him safe and sound. And he was angry, 30 and would not enter; so his father went out, and besought him to enter. And he said to his father, How many years do I serve you in bondage, and I never transgressed a commandment of yours; and you have never given me a kid, that I might 31 make merry with my friends? but this your son, when he had squandered your 32 property with harlots, and come, you have slain for him a fatted ox. His father said unto him, My son, you are at all times with me, and everything I have is 33 yours. It behooves you to rejoice and make merry, since this your brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found.
34 And he spoke 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. So his lord called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear regarding you? Give me the account of your stewardship; for it is now impossible that you should 36 be a steward for me. The steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord takes from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; and to beg I 37 am ashamed. I know what I will do, that, when I go out of the stewardship, they 38 may receive me into their houses. And he called one after another of his lord's 39 debtors, and said to the first, How much do you owe my lord? He said unto him, An hundred portions of oil. He said unto him, Take your writing, and sit down, and write 40 quickly fifty portions. And he said to the next, And you, how much do you owe my lord? He said unto him, An hundred cors of wheat. He said unto him, Take 41 [Arabic, p. 103] your writing, and sit down, and write eighty cors. And our lord commended the sinful steward 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. And I also say unto you, Make unto yourselves friends with the wealth of this unrighteousness; 43 so that, when it is exhausted, they may receive you into their tents for ever. He who is faithful in a little is faithful also in much: and he who is unrighteous in a 44 little is unrighteous also in much. If then in the wealth of unrighteousness you were 45 not trustworthy, who will entrust you with the truth? If you are not found faithful in what does not belong to you, who will give you what belongs to you?
Source: The Diatessaron (New Advent)