"But he answeredand saidto his father,'Look!For so manyyearsI have been servingyou and I have neverneglecteda commandof yours;and [yet] you have nevergivenme a young goat,sothat I might celebratewith my friends;
"Who say,Keepto yourself, do not comenearme, For I am holierthan you!' Theseare smokein My nostrils,A firethat burnsallthe day.
speakingto the priestswhobelong to the houseof the LORDof hosts,and to the prophets,saying,"Shall I weepin the fifthmonthand abstain,as I have donethesemanyyears?"
"You have said,It is vainto serveGod;and whatprofitis it that we have keptHis charge,and that we have walkedin mourningbeforethe LORDof hosts?
saying,'Theselast menhave worked[only] onehour,and you have madethem equalto us whohave bornethe burdenand the scorching heatof the day.'
"But he became angryand was not willingto goin; and his fathercameout and [began] pleadingwith him.
but whenthissonof yourscame,who has devouredyour wealthwith prostitutes,you killedthe fattenedcalffor him.'
"I tellyou that in the same way,there will be [more] joyin heavenoveronesinnerwho repentsthanoverninety-ninerighteous personswhoneednorepentance.
"Soyou too,whenyou doall the thingswhich are commandedyou, say,'We are unworthyslaves;we have done[only] that whichwe oughtto have done.'"
And He alsotoldthisparableto some peoplewho trustedin themselvesthat they were righteous,and viewedotherswith contempt:
for I was afraidof you, becauseyou are an exactingman;you takeup whatyou did not lay downand reapwhatyou did not sow.'
For not knowingabout God'srighteousnessand seekingto establishtheir own,they did not subjectthemselves to the righteousnessof God.
becauseby the worksof the Lawnofleshwill be justifiedin His sight;for throughthe Law[comes] the knowledgeof sin.
Wherethenis boasting?It is excluded.By what kindof law?Of works?No,but by a lawof faith.
I was oncealiveapartfrom the Law;but when the commandmentcame,sinbecame aliveand I died;
He who hasan ear,let him hearwhatthe Spiritsaysto the churches.To him who overcomes,to him I will give[some] of the hiddenmanna,and I will givehim a whitestone,and a newnamewrittenon the stonewhichno oneknowsbut he who receivesit.'
Becauseyou say,"I amrich,and have become wealthy,and haveneedof nothing,"and you do not knowthat you are wretchedand miserableand poorand blindand naked,
