Matthew 18:10-14 - The Parable Of The Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven. ¹¹ [For the Son of Man has come to save the lost.] ¹² What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the 99 on the hillside and go and search for the stray? ¹³ And if he finds it, I assure you: He rejoices over that sheep more than over the 99 that did not go astray. ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

¹ All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”

³ So He told them this parable: ⁴ “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.