One Sheep
(Matthew 18.12-14)1 Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. 2 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, “This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this story:
4 If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder 6 and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.”
7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over 99 good people who don't need to.”
One Coin
8 Jesus told the people another story:
What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them? Won't she light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it? 9 Then she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Let's celebrate! I've found the coin I lost.”
10 Jesus said, “In the same way God's angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”
Two Sons
11 Jesus told them yet another story:
Once a man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.
15 He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs. 16 He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him a thing.
17 Finally, he came to his senses and said, “My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! 18 I will go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’ ”
20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.
21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”
22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
25 The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants over and asked, “What's going on here?”
27 The servant answered, “Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf.” 28 The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house.
His father came out and begged him to go in. 29 But he said to his father, “For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. 30 This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast.”
31 His father replied, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found.”
Onḓu ndja pandjara
(Mt 18:12-14)1 Ovasutise votjisuta tjouhona novanauvi ovengi ve ya okuyekupuratena ku Jesus. 2 Nu Ovafarisei nozonongo zomambo va uta okuunauna ave tja: “Tareye, omundu ngwi ma yakura ovanauvi, nu wina ma ri puna wo.” 3 Jesus arire tje ve serekarerere omasanekero nga a tja:
4 “Omundu uṋe mokati keṋu ngu nozonḓu esere rimwe, nu tja pandjarisa imwe yazo, ngu hi nokuisa inḓa omirongo muvyu na muvyu mokuti, nu a kateza indji ndja pandjara, nga tje i munu? 5 Nu tje i munu, ma kara nenyando, e i twa koviṱuve vye 6 ne i twara konganda. Tjazumba eye ma woronganisa omapanga novararanganda na tja ku wo: ‘Nyandeye puna ami, orondu onḓu yandje ndja pandjarere, mbe i munu!’ 7 Me mu raere: Otji mamu kara enyando nao meyuru mena romunauvi umwe ngwe ritanaura okukapita ovasemba omirongo muvyu na muvyu mbe hi nokuhepa ondanaukiro.
Otjimariva tji tja pandjara
8 “Poo omukazendu uṋe ngu novimariva ovisilveri omurongo, nu tja pandjarisa tjimwe ngu hi na ku yakisa emunine, na kombo ondjuwo ama paha tjinene nga tje tji munu? 9 Nu tje tji munu, eye ma woronganisa omapanga novararanganda na tja ku wo: ‘Nyandeye puna ami, orondu otjimariva tjandje tji tja pandjarere, mbe tji munu.’ 10 Me mu raere: Otji mape kara enyando nao komurungu wovaengeri va Ndjambi mena romunauvi umwe ngwe ritanaura.”
Omuzandu ngwa pandjara
11 Jesus wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Pa ri omundu umwe ngwa ri novazandu vevari. 12 Nu ingwi omuangu arire tja tja ku ihe: ‘Tate, ndji pa otjirumatwa tjouini woye, ihi tji matji rire otjandje.’ Ihe otja haṋena ovazandu ve vevari ouini we. 13 Kombunda yomayuva ouṱiṱi omuatje ingwi omuangu wa randisire ouini we auhe, na i na imbi ovimariva kehi rokokure, ke kevimorosera mehambaneno. 14 Nu tja mana oviṋa avihe mbya ri na vyo, arire tji mwa kara ondjara onene mehi ndo, neye otja uta okuhepa. 15 Nu eye wa kaungura pomurumendu umwe omukwatera wehi ndo, neye we mu hinda kohambo yotjirongo tje okukarisa ozombinda. 16 Nomuzandu ngwi wa zerire okukutisa ezumo re novikurya mbyaa vi riwa i ozombinda, nungwari kape ningire omundu ngwe mu pere vyo. 17 Korusenina eye we rizemburuka na tja: ‘Tate u novaungure ovengi, nowo avehe ve novikurya mbya takavara, nu owami ngwi me ṱondjara muno mwi. 18 Me sekama, e yaruka ku tate ne katja nai ku ye: Tate, ami mba tjiti ourunde komurungu wa Ndjambi na komurungu woye. 19 Opu mbi ha pwire okuisanewa omuatje woye rukwao, ndji vara otja umwe wovakarere voye.’ 20 Neye otja sekama na yaruka ku ihe.
“Nu ngunda e ri kokure, ihe arire tje mu munu, nu a ṱondjenda na ye, a utuka, e rimanga mosengo ye ne mu hupite. 21 Nomuatje wa tjere ku ihe: ‘Tate, ami mba tjita ourunde komurungu wa Ndjambi na komurungu woye. Otji mbi ha sere okuisanewa omuatje woye rukwao.’ 22 Nungwari ihe wa isana ovakarere ve a tja: ‘Hakahaneye! Eteye ombanda indji ombwa tjinene mu mu zarise, nu mu twe ko ongoho wina komunwe we, nozongaku kozombaze ze. 23 Nu kaeteye ondana ndja ṋunisiwa i ṱe, tu rye nu tu nyande! 24 Orondu omuatje wandje ngwi wa kokere, nu eye ngwi nambano wa kotora omuinyo; wa pandjarere, nambano eye ngwi wa munika.’ Nowo arire tji va utu okunyanda omukandi.
25 “Nomuzandu we ingwi otjiveri tjandje nai u ri motjikunino. Neye tje ya popezu nonganda, arire tja zuu ozongoma nomihiva. 26 Eye wa isanene omukarere umwe ne mu pura kutja ovikeṋa mbi. 27 Omukarere wa zirire a tja: ‘Omuangu woye wa kotoka konganda, nu iho otja zepa ondana ndja ṋunisiwa, tjinga e mu kotokere nomuinyo, nu e hi notjipo.’
28 “Omuatje ingwi otjiveri wa pindika tjinene na ha vanga okuhita monganda. Ihe arire tja piti na utu nokuriyarikaṋa ku ye. 29 Nungwari eye wa zira ihe a tja: ‘Tara, oure wozombura azehe nḓa ami mbe ku ungurira tjimuna omukarere, nu hi na pu mba katuka omarakiza woye, nu ngamba ko na indu we ndji pere nangarire okangombona kutja mbi nyande omukandi puna omapanga wandje! 30 Nambano omuatje woye ngwi ngwa kamorosa ouini woye puna ovakorondu, weya, nove we mu zepere ondana ndja ṋunisiwa!’ 31 Ihe wa zira a tja: ‘Muatje wandje, ove aruhe u ri puna ami, noviṋa vyandje avihe ovyoye. 32 Nungwari eṱe twa sokunyanda nu twa sokuyoroka, orondu omuangu woye ngwi wa kokere, nambano eye ngwi wa kotora omuinyo; wa pandjarere, nambano eye ngwi wa munika rukwao.’ ”
