Study Desk

The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So the fatherhe">[fn] divided his property between them.Mark 12:44;">[xr]

A few days later, the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his possessions on wild living.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

"Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death!

"So he got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son,to his son">[fn] threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately.Acts 2:39; Ephesians 2:13,17;">[xr]

Then his son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven[fn] and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'anymore. Treat me like one of your hired men.">[fn]Psalm 51:4;">[xr]

But the father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

"Now his older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing.

"Then the older sonhe">[fn] became angry and wouldn't go into the house.wouldn't go in">[fn] So his father came out and began to plead with him.

But he answered his father, "Listen! All these years I've worked like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends.

"His fatherHe">[fn] said to him, 'My child, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

Now Jesushe">[fn] was saying to the disciples, "A rich man had a manager who was accused of wasting his assets.

"So he called for each of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11;">[xr]

A beggar named Lazarus, who was covered with sores, was brought to his gate.

He was always craving to satisfy his hunger with what fellthe scraps that fell">[fn] from the rich man's table. In fact, even the dogs used to come and lick his sores.

In Hades,[fn] where he was in constant torture, he looked up and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus by his side.

So he shouted, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and to cool off my tongue, because I am suffering in this fire.'Isaiah 66:24; Zechariah 14:12; Mark 9:44;">[xr]

JesusHe">[fn] said to his disciples, "It is inevitable that temptations to sin will come, but how terrible it will be for the person through whom they come!Matthew 18:6-7; Mark 9:42; 1 Corinthians 11:19;">[xr]

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.