The Prodigal Son
A man had two sons. The younger one asked his father for his share of the inheritance early, and soon after, he packed up everything and left for a distant country, where he wasted it all on wild living. When a severe famine struck the land, he found himself with nothing, forced to take a job feeding pigs -- so hungry that even the pigs' food looked appealing.
Coming to his senses, he thought, "My father's hired servants have more than enough food, while I'm starving here. I'll go back and tell him I've sinned against heaven and against him, and ask only to be treated as one of his hired hands."
While he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Before the son could even finish his rehearsed apology, the father called for the best robe, a ring, and sandals, and ordered a celebration: "This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
The older son, returning from the fields, heard the celebration and grew angry, refusing to go in -- he had stayed faithful all these years and never gotten so much as a party. His father came out and pleaded with him: "You are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate, because your brother was dead and is alive again."
Read the Bible passage
See the full scripture text this story is based on.
- 15:11And he said, A certain man had two sons:
- 15:12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
- 15:13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
- 15:14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
- 15:15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
- 15:16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
- 15:17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
- 15:18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
- 15:19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
- 15:20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
- 15:21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
- 15:22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
- 15:23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
- 15:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
- 15:25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
- 15:26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
- 15:27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
- 15:28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
- 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
- 15:30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
- 15:31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
- 15:32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
More stories
The Creation of the World
In the very beginning, before there was light or land or life, the world was dark and formless, while the Spirit of God…
Read the story →Noah's Ark
As the world grew full of violence and evil, one man stood apart: Noah, who walked faithfully with God. Grieved by…
Read the story →Abraham and Isaac
God tested Abraham's faith in a way no parent should ever have to face. He called Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac…
Read the story →