₁One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, ₂the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, “This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!” ₃So Jesus told them this parable:

₄“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them — what do you do? You leave the other 99 sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. ₅When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders ₆and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbours together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ ₇In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 respectable people who do not need to repent.

₈“Or suppose a woman who has ten silver coins loses one of them — what does she do? She lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and looks carefully everywhere until she finds it. ₉When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, and says to them, ‘I am so happy I found the coin I lost. Let us celebrate!’ ₁₀In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.”