Parable · Luke 15:3-7
The Lost Sheep
A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to go find the one that wandered off.
Also called The Ninety-Nine
The point
The math is bad on purpose. The one is not worth less because there are ninety-nine others.
3Then Jesus told them this parable:
4“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
6comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
7In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Read the whole chapter
Told again in another gospel
The same parable, recorded differently. The differences are worth reading, not smoothing over.
Matthew 18:12-14Read the chapter
12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?
13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Lectionary 24 Year CGospel, Luke 15:1-10
For a newsletter or sermon notes
The parable of the Lost Sheep, explained in plain words. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to find one lost sheep. https://freescripture.org/parables/lost-sheep/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church