Parable of the Prodigal Son: Required reading for English I public school students in Texas

Here is the Bible passage from the English Standard Version

¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹ but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Luke 15:11-32 English Standard Version

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And here is the episode from the Bible in Fewer Words podcast that includes this passage.

Episode 259: Hate your family

Luke 13-15

Repent or be killed

13 ¹ Jesus had heard about some Galileans who were killed by Pilate while they were offering sacrifices. ² Jesus said,

Do you suppose those Galileans were especially bad sinners?

³ Well, they weren't. And unless you repent, you're all going to die like that.

⁴ Or how about those eighteen people who were killed by the falling tower in Siloam.

⁵ Unless you repent, you're all going to die like that.

Jesus heals a woman on the sabbath

¹⁰ Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath, where there was a woman who had been unable to walk for 18 years.

¹¹ When Jesus saw her, he said, “Woman, you're cured of your illness.”

¹³ Jesus touched her and immediately she stood up straight.

¹⁴ The leader of the synagogue said to the people, “There are six days in the week on which to heal people. But not on the sabbath day.”

¹⁵ Jesus said,

You hypocrite! Don't you help an ox or ass get water on the sabbath?

¹⁶ Satan has bound this woman for 18 years. Why isn't it okay to heal her on the sabbath?

Jesus: On the third day I'll be perfected

³¹ Some Pharisees said to Jesus, “You'd better leave. Herod's going to kill you.” ³² Jesus said,

Tell that old fox that I'm casting out devils, curing today and tomorrow, and on the third day I'll be perfected.

³³ But I must to go to Jerusalem, because that's where prophets go to die.

Jesus heals a man on the sabbath day

14 ^1-2 Jesus was eating dinner at the chief priest's house on the sabbath day, where there was a man who suffered from edema.

² Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?”

⁴ But they didn't answer. So Jesus healed the man.

Don't take the best seat

⁷ Jesus told them this parable:

⁸ When you go to a wedding, don't take the best seat.

⁹ Because the host might say to you, “Let this person sit where you're sitting.” Then you'll have to sit in the worst place.

¹⁰ Instead, sit in the worst place. Then your host might say to you, “Come and sit in a better place.”

¹¹ Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

¹² When you have a feast, don't invite your friends, family, or neighbors. If you do, they'll invite you to their events.

¹³ Instead, when you have a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.

¹⁴ They won't be able to pay you back, but you'll be rewarded in the resurrection of the just.

Hate your family and your life

²⁵ A great crowd of people were following Jesus, when he turned and said,

²⁶ If a man wants to be my disciple, he must hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and his own life.

²⁷ You must give up everything to be my disciple.

The lost coin

15 ⁸ Jesus said,

What woman who has ten coins and loses one, doesn't look for the lost coin?

⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors and says, “Come rejoice with me, because I found a coin that I'd lost.”

¹⁰ Likewise, the angels will rejoice when one sinner repents.

The prodigal son

¹¹ Jesus said,

A man had two sons.

¹² The younger son said to his father, “I'd like my inheritance now.” And the father gave it to him.

¹³ The younger son then went away and wasted the money on riotous living.

¹⁴ Then there was a famine and the son had nothing.

¹⁵ So he got a job feeding pigs.

¹⁶ He was so hungry he ate the pig's food.

¹⁷ He finally decided to go home to ask for his father's help.

²⁰ When his father saw him coming, he ran and kissed him.

²¹ The son said to his father, “I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.”

²² But the father told his servants,

Bring my son the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ Kill the fatted calf. Let's eat and be merry!

²⁴ Because my son was dead and now he's alive. He was lost, and now he's found.

²⁵ The older son heard the music and dancing.

²⁶ And said to a servant, “What's going on?”

²⁷ The servant said, “Your brother has come home, and your father is rejoicing.”

²⁸ The older brother was angry, and said to his father,

²⁹ I've served and obeyed you all these years, yet you never killed a calf or had a party for me. ³⁰ But now my little brother comes home after living with harlots, and you kill the fatted calf for him.

His father said to him,

You're always here; all that I have is yours.

³² But your brother was dead, and now he's alive. He was lost, and now he's found.

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Questions for Students

1. Jesus said in Luke 13:5 that you will be killed in some horrible way if you don't repent. And yet most people die of natural causes without buildings falling on them? Why is that? I that because most people repent? Or was Jesus just trying to scare people into repenting?
2. In Luke 13:16, Jesus said that a woman couldn't walk for 18 years because of Satan's power. Do you think that's why some people can't walk today?
3. Why do you think Jesus told his disciples that they must hate their family in Luke 14:26?