Bible Verses About Parables

because every one who is exalting himself shall be humbled, and he who is humbling himself shall be exalted.'

`For who of you, willing to build a tower, doth not first, having sat down, count the expence, whether he have the things for completing?

lest that he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are beholding may begin to mock him,

saying--This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

`Or what king going on to engage with another king in war, doth not, having sat down, first consult if he be able with ten thousand to meet him who with twenty thousand is coming against him?

and if not so--he being yet a long way off--having sent an embassy, he doth ask the things for peace.

`So, then, every one of you who doth not take leave of all that he himself hath, is not able to be my disciple.

`The salt is good, but if the salt doth become tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned?

neither for land nor for manure is it fit--they cast it without. He who is having ears to hear--let him hear.'

And he spake unto them this simile, saying,

`What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?

and having found, he doth lay it on his shoulders rejoicing,

and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep--the lost one.

`I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

`Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?

and having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I lost.

`So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.'

And he said, `A certain man had two sons,

and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to me , and he divided to them the living.

`And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;

and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;

and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,

and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.

`And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!

having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin--to the heaven, and before thee,