"Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his

father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his

livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a

far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent

all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and

joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one

gave him anything.

But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have

bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and

will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer

worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” 

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father

saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son

said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy

to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bringa out the best robe and put it on him, and put a

ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let

us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

And they began to be merry." (Luke 15:11-24*)