1 Kwase kusondela kuye bonke abathelisi nezoni ukumuzwa.
2 AbaFarisi nababhali base bakhonona bethi: “Lo muntu wamukela izoni, adle nazo.”
3 Wayesebalandisa lo mfanekiso, ethi:
4 “Ngumuphi umuntu kini onezimvu eziyikhulu, alahlekelwe ngenye kuzo, angazishiyi ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ehlane, aye kwelahlekileyo, aze ayithole, na?
5 Athi eseyitholile, ayetshathe ethokoza.
6 Esefike ekhaya ameme abahlobo nabakhelwane, athi kubo: ‘Thokozani nami, ngokuba ngiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’
7 Ngithi kini: Kanjalo kuyakuba khona ukuthokoza ezulwini ngesoni sisinye esiphendukayo, kunabalungileyo abangamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye abangasweli ukuphenduka.
8 “Noma ngumuphi owesifazane othi enezinhlamvu zesiliva eziyishumi, uma elahlekelwe luhlamvu lwaba lunye, angokheli isibani, ashanele indlu, afunisise, aze aluthole?
9 Athi ukuba aluthole, abize abahlobo nabakhelwane, athi: ‘Thokozani nami, ngokuba ngilutholile uhlamvu lwami obelungilahlekele.’
10 Ngithi kini: Kanjalo kukhona ukuthokoza phambi kwezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni sisinye esiphendukayo.”
11 Wayesethi: “Umuntu othile wayenamadodana amabili.
12 Encane yawo yayisithi kuyise: ‘Baba, nginike isabelo sefa esiqondene nami;’ wawahlukanisela impahla.
13 “Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezingeziningi indodana encane yayisibutha konke, yamuka, yaya ezweni elikude, yachitha khona imfuyo yayo ihamba ngokonakala.
14 Isisaphaze konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelo zwe; yaqala ukuswela.
15 Yayisiya kukhonza komunye umuntu walelo zwe; yena wayithuma emadlelweni akhe ukuba yaluse izingulube.
16 Yafisa ukuzisuthisa ngemidumba edliwa yizingulube; kepha kayiphiwanga muntu.
17 “Kuthe sekusile kuyo, yathi: ‘Bangaki abaqashwa bakababa abanokudla okuningi, kanti mina ngifa indlala lapha.
18 Ngiyakusuka, ngiye kubaba, ngithi: Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho;
19 angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho; ngenze ngibe njengomunye wabaqashwa bakho.’
20 Yayisisuka, yafika kuyise; kepha kuthe isekude, uyise wayibona, waba nesihe, wagijima, wayisingatha entanyeni, wayanga.
21 “Indodana yayisithi kuye: ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho; angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho.’
22 “Kepha uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: ‘Sheshani nikhiphe ingubo enhle kunazo zonke, niyembathise, nifake indandatho esandleni sayo nezicathulo ezinyaweni,
23 nilethe ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, nilihlabe, sidle, sijabule;
24 ngokuba le ndodana yami ibifile, yabuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, seyatholakala;’ base beqala ukujabula.
25 “Kepha indodana yakhe enkulu yayisensimini; yathi iseza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela nokusina.
26 Yabiza omunye wabafana, yabuza ukuthi kwenze njani lokho.
27 Wathi kuyo: ‘Kufike umfowenu; uyihlo wahlaba ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, ngokuba ubuye wamthola ephilile.’
28 “Kepha yathukuthela, kayivumanga ukungena; uyise wayesephuma, wayincenga.
29 Kodwa yaphendula, yathi kuyise: ‘Bheka, iminyaka engaka ngikukhonzile; angizange ngeqe umyalo wakho, kepha mina awuzange ungiphe nazinyane lembuzi ukuba ngijabule nabahlobo bami,
30 kodwa kuthe ukuba ifike leyo ndodana yakho eqede imfuyo yakho nezifebe, wayihlabisa ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo.’
31 “Wayesethi kuyo: ‘Mntanami, wena uhlala nami njalo; konke okwami kungokwakho.
32 Kepha simelwe ukujabula, sithokoze, ngokuba umfowenu lo wayefile, wabuye waphila; wayelahlekile, sewatholakala.’ ”