The Pharisees considered themselves righteous, and were therefore offended because Jesus received publicans and sinners and ate with them. Jesus therefore spoke the following parables: A certain man had two sons. The younger said to the father: Father, give me that part of thy substance that falls to me. And he divided unto them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all his goods and took his journey into a far country, and there he wasted his substance in riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine ate; and no man gave him anything. When he came to himself he said: How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. While he was yet far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight; I am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants: Bring forth the best robe, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and kill the fatted calf, and let us eat and make merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. The elder son was in the fields, and as he came home and heard music and dancing, he asked one of the servants what these things might be. And he was told that the father had made a feast for his son who had returned. Then he was angry, and would not go in. His father came out and entreated him; but he answered: Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed thy commandments, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf. But his father said: My son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine; but it was meet to make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found. When a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and go after the lost sheep? And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders and bears it home, and rejoices more over that one than over the ninety and nine which were not lost. So shall there be greater joy in heaven over one sinner who repenteth, than over ninety and nine who need no repentance. (Luke 15.) 70. The Rich Man and Lazarus