A man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, "Give me my part of all the things we own." So the father divided the wealth with his two sons.
The younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country. There he wasted his money like a fool. He spent everything that he had. Soon after that, the land became very dry, and there was no rain. There was not enough food to eat anywhere in the country. The son was hungry and needed money. So he went and got a job with one of the people of that country. The man sent the son into the field to feed pigs. The son was so hungry that he wanted to eat the food that the pigs were eating. But no person gave him anything.
The boy realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, "All of my father's servants have plenty of food. But I am here, almost dead because I have nothing to eat. I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am not good enough to be called your son. But let me be like one of your servants."
While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. The father felt sorry for his son. So the father ran to him. He hugged and kissed his son. The son said, 'Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am not good enough to be called your son."
"But the father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring the best clothes and dress him. Also put a ring on his finger and good shoes on his feet. Bring the fat calf. We will kill it and have plenty to eat. Then, we can have a party. My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!" So they began to have a party.
The older son was in the field. He came closer to the house. He heard the sound of music and dancing. So the older son called to one of the servant boys and asked, 'What does all this mean?' The servant said, "Your brother has come back. Your father killed the fat calf to eat. Your father is happy because your brother came home safely."
The older son was angry and would not go in to the party. So his father went out to ask him to come in. The son said to his father, "I have served you like a slave for many years. I have always obeyed your commands. But you never even killed a goat for me. You never gave a party for me and my friends. But your other son has wasted all your money on prostitutes. Then, he comes home, and you kill the fat calf for him!"
But the father said to him, "Son, you are always with me. All that I have is yours too. We must be happy and have a party because your brother was dead, and now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found."'
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