Montheist Excerpts: Koran, Old and New Testament
YUSUFALI: The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the flimsiest of houses is the spider's house;- if they but knew.
PICKTHAL: The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew.
SHAKIR: The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider's house did they but know.
016.068 YUSUFALI: And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations;
PICKTHAL: And thy Lord inspired the bee, saying: Choose thou habitations in the hills and in the trees and in that which they thatch;
SHAKIR: And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build:
016.069 YUSUFALI: Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought.
PICKTHAL: Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of thy Lord, made smooth (for thee). There cometh forth from their bellies a drink divers of hues, wherein is healing for mankind. Lo! herein is indeed a portent for people who reflect.
SHAKIR: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect.
016.070 YUSUFALI: It is Allah who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much): for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. PICKTHAL: And Allah createth you, then causeth you to die, and among you is he who is brought back to the most abject stage of life, so that he knoweth nothing after (having had) knowledge. Lo! Allah is Knower, Powerful.
SHAKIR: And Allah has created you, then He causes you to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything; surely Allah is Knowing, Powerful.
016.071 YUSUFALI: Allah has bestowed His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others: those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of Allah?
PICKTHAL: And Allah hath favoured some of you above others in provision. Now those who are more favoured will by no means hand over their provision to those (slaves) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in respect thereof. Is it then the grace of Allah that they deny? SHAKIR: And Allah has made some of you excel others in the means of subsistence, so those who are made to excel do not give away their sustenance to those whom their right hands possess so that they should be equal therein; is it then the favor of Allah which they deny?
016.072 YUSUFALI: And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah's favours?-
PICKTHAL: And Allah hath given you wives of your own kind, and hath given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and hath made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?
SHAKIR: And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and grandchildren from your wives, and has given you of the good things; is it then in the falsehood that they believe while it is in the favor of Allah that they disbelieve?
016.073 YUSUFALI: And worship others than Allah,- such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?
PICKTHAL: And they worship beside Allah that which owneth no provision whatsoever for them from the heavens or the earth, nor have they (whom they worship) any power. SHAKIR: And they serve besides Allah that which does not control for them any sustenance at all from the heavens and the earth, nor have they any power.
016.074 YUSUFALI: Invent not similitudes for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not. PICKTHAL: So coin not similitudes for Allah. Lo! Allah knoweth; ye know not. SHAKIR: Therefore do not give likenesses to Allah; surely Allah knows and you do not know.
016.075 YUSUFALI: Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.
PICKTHAL: Allah coineth a similitude: (on the one hand) a (mere) chattel slave, who hath control of nothing, and (on the other hand) one on whom we have bestowed a fair provision from Us, and he spendeth thereof secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not. SHAKIR: Allah sets forth a parable: (consider) a slave, the property of another, (who) has no power over anything, and one whom We have granted from Ourselves a goodly sustenance so he spends from it secretly and openly; are the two alike? (All) praise is due to Allah! Nay, most of them do not know.
016.076 YUSUFALI: Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men: one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way be directs him, he brings no good: is such a man equal with one who commands Justice, and is on a Straight Way?
PICKTHAL: And Allah coineth a similitude: Two men, one of them dumb, having control of nothing, and he is a burden on his owner; whithersoever he directeth him to go, he bringeth no good. Is he equal with one who enjoineth justice and followeth a straight path (of conduct)?
SHAKIR: And Allah sets forth a parable of two men; one of them is dumb, not able to do anything, and he is a burden to his master; wherever he sends him, he brings no good; can he be held equal with him who enjoins what is just, and he (himself) is on the right path?
016.077 YUSUFALI: To Allah belongeth the Mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the Decision of the Hour (of Judgment) is as the twingkling of an eye, or even quicker: for Allah hath power over all things.
PICKTHAL: And unto Allah belongeth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and the matter of the Hour (of Doom) is but as a twinkling of the eye, or it is nearer still. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.
SHAKIR: And Allah's is the unseen of the heavens and the earth; and the matter of the hour is but as the twinkling of an eye or it is higher still; surely Allah has power over all things.
From Genesis
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
2
the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.
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Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
4
God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness.
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God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." Thus evening came, and morning followed--the first day.
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Then God said, "Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other." And so it happened:
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God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
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God called the dome "the sky." Evening came, and morning followed--the second day.
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Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear." And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared.
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God called the dry land "the earth," and the basin of the water he called "the sea." God saw how good it was.
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Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it." And so it happened:
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the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was.
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Evening came, and morning followed--the third day.
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Then God said: "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
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and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth." And so it happened:
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God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars.
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God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth,
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to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was.
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Evening came, and morning followed--the fourth day.
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Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened:
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God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was,
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and God blessed them, saying, "Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth."
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Evening came, and morning followed--the fifth day.
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Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds." And so it happened:
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God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was.
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Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
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God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.
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God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth."
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God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
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and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened.
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God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed--the sixth day.
Chapter 2
1
Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
2
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
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So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.
4
Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation. At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens--
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while as yet there was no field shrub on earth and no grass of the field had sprouted, for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil,
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but a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surface of the ground--
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the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.
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Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he placed there the man whom he had formed.
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Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.
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A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches.
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The name of the first is the Pishon; it is the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
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The gold of that land is excellent; bdellium and lapis lazuli are also there.
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The name of the second river is the Gihon; it is the one that winds all through the land of Cush.
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The name of the third river is the Tigris; it is the one that flows east of Asshur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
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The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.
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The LORD God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden
17
except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die."
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The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him."
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So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
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The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
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So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
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The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man,
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the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."
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That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.
25
The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?"
2
The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
3
it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
4
But the serpent said to the woman: "You certainly will not die!
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No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad."
6
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
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When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9
The LORD God then called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?"
10
He answered, "I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."
11
Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"
12
The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."
13
The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."
14
Then the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.
15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel."
16
To the woman he said: "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."
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To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.
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Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.
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By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return."
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The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.
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For the man and his wife the LORD God made leather garments, with which he clothed them.
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Then the LORD God said: "See! The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad! Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the tree of life also, and thus eat of it and live forever."
23
The LORD God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken.
24
When he expelled the man, he settled him east of the garden of Eden; and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.
The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD."
2
Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.
3
In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil,
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while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5
but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.
6
So the LORD said to Cain: "Why are you so resentful and crestfallen?
7
If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master."
8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9
Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
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The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!
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Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
12
If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth."
13
Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear.
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Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight."
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Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
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Cain then left the LORD'S presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
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Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain also became the founder of a city, which he named after his son Enoch.
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To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael; Mehujael became the father of Methusael, and Methusael became the father of Lamech.
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Lamech took two wives; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.
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Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who dwell in tents and keep cattle.
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His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.
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Zillah, on her part, gave birth to Tubalcain, the ancestor of all who forge instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
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Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance: I have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me.
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If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
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Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. "God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel," she said, "because Cain slew him."
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To Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the LORD by name.
New Testament: Luke 15:11
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,
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but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
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So to them he addressed this parable.
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"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
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And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
6
and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
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I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
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"Or what woman having ten coins 2 and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?
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And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'
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In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11
Then he said, "A man had two sons,
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and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.
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After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
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When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
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So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
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And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
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Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.
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I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
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I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
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So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
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His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
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But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
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because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.
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Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.
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He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
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The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
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He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
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He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
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But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
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He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
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But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"
PICKTHAL: The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew.
SHAKIR: The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider's house did they but know.
016.068 YUSUFALI: And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations;
PICKTHAL: And thy Lord inspired the bee, saying: Choose thou habitations in the hills and in the trees and in that which they thatch;
SHAKIR: And your Lord revealed to the bee saying: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build:
016.069 YUSUFALI: Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought.
PICKTHAL: Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of thy Lord, made smooth (for thee). There cometh forth from their bellies a drink divers of hues, wherein is healing for mankind. Lo! herein is indeed a portent for people who reflect.
SHAKIR: Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth from within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect.
016.070 YUSUFALI: It is Allah who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much): for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. PICKTHAL: And Allah createth you, then causeth you to die, and among you is he who is brought back to the most abject stage of life, so that he knoweth nothing after (having had) knowledge. Lo! Allah is Knower, Powerful.
SHAKIR: And Allah has created you, then He causes you to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything; surely Allah is Knowing, Powerful.
016.071 YUSUFALI: Allah has bestowed His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others: those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of Allah?
PICKTHAL: And Allah hath favoured some of you above others in provision. Now those who are more favoured will by no means hand over their provision to those (slaves) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in respect thereof. Is it then the grace of Allah that they deny? SHAKIR: And Allah has made some of you excel others in the means of subsistence, so those who are made to excel do not give away their sustenance to those whom their right hands possess so that they should be equal therein; is it then the favor of Allah which they deny?
016.072 YUSUFALI: And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah's favours?-
PICKTHAL: And Allah hath given you wives of your own kind, and hath given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and hath made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?
SHAKIR: And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and grandchildren from your wives, and has given you of the good things; is it then in the falsehood that they believe while it is in the favor of Allah that they disbelieve?
016.073 YUSUFALI: And worship others than Allah,- such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?
PICKTHAL: And they worship beside Allah that which owneth no provision whatsoever for them from the heavens or the earth, nor have they (whom they worship) any power. SHAKIR: And they serve besides Allah that which does not control for them any sustenance at all from the heavens and the earth, nor have they any power.
016.074 YUSUFALI: Invent not similitudes for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not. PICKTHAL: So coin not similitudes for Allah. Lo! Allah knoweth; ye know not. SHAKIR: Therefore do not give likenesses to Allah; surely Allah knows and you do not know.
016.075 YUSUFALI: Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.
PICKTHAL: Allah coineth a similitude: (on the one hand) a (mere) chattel slave, who hath control of nothing, and (on the other hand) one on whom we have bestowed a fair provision from Us, and he spendeth thereof secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not. SHAKIR: Allah sets forth a parable: (consider) a slave, the property of another, (who) has no power over anything, and one whom We have granted from Ourselves a goodly sustenance so he spends from it secretly and openly; are the two alike? (All) praise is due to Allah! Nay, most of them do not know.
016.076 YUSUFALI: Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men: one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way be directs him, he brings no good: is such a man equal with one who commands Justice, and is on a Straight Way?
PICKTHAL: And Allah coineth a similitude: Two men, one of them dumb, having control of nothing, and he is a burden on his owner; whithersoever he directeth him to go, he bringeth no good. Is he equal with one who enjoineth justice and followeth a straight path (of conduct)?
SHAKIR: And Allah sets forth a parable of two men; one of them is dumb, not able to do anything, and he is a burden to his master; wherever he sends him, he brings no good; can he be held equal with him who enjoins what is just, and he (himself) is on the right path?
016.077 YUSUFALI: To Allah belongeth the Mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the Decision of the Hour (of Judgment) is as the twingkling of an eye, or even quicker: for Allah hath power over all things.
PICKTHAL: And unto Allah belongeth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and the matter of the Hour (of Doom) is but as a twinkling of the eye, or it is nearer still. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.
SHAKIR: And Allah's is the unseen of the heavens and the earth; and the matter of the hour is but as the twinkling of an eye or it is higher still; surely Allah has power over all things.
From Genesis
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
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the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.
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Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
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God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness.
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God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." Thus evening came, and morning followed--the first day.
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Then God said, "Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other." And so it happened:
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God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
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God called the dome "the sky." Evening came, and morning followed--the second day.
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Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear." And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared.
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God called the dry land "the earth," and the basin of the water he called "the sea." God saw how good it was.
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Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it." And so it happened:
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the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was.
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Evening came, and morning followed--the third day.
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Then God said: "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,
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and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth." And so it happened:
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God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars.
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God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth,
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to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was.
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Evening came, and morning followed--the fourth day.
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Then God said, "Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky." And so it happened:
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God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was,
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and God blessed them, saying, "Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth."
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Evening came, and morning followed--the fifth day.
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Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds." And so it happened:
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God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was.
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Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
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God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.
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God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth."
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God also said: "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
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and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food." And so it happened.
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God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed--the sixth day.
Chapter 2
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Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
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Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
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So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.
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Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation. At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens--
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while as yet there was no field shrub on earth and no grass of the field had sprouted, for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil,
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but a stream was welling up out of the earth and was watering all the surface of the ground--
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the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.
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Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he placed there the man whom he had formed.
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Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.
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A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches.
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The name of the first is the Pishon; it is the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
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The gold of that land is excellent; bdellium and lapis lazuli are also there.
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The name of the second river is the Gihon; it is the one that winds all through the land of Cush.
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The name of the third river is the Tigris; it is the one that flows east of Asshur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
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The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.
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The LORD God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden
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except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die."
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The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him."
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So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
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The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
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So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
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The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man,
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the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."
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That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.
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The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?"
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The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
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it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
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But the serpent said to the woman: "You certainly will not die!
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No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad."
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The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
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Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
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When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
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The LORD God then called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?"
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He answered, "I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."
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Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"
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The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it."
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The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."
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Then the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.
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I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel."
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To the woman he said: "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."
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To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.
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Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.
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By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return."
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The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.
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For the man and his wife the LORD God made leather garments, with which he clothed them.
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Then the LORD God said: "See! The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad! Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the tree of life also, and thus eat of it and live forever."
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The LORD God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken.
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When he expelled the man, he settled him east of the garden of Eden; and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.
The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD."
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Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.
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In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil,
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while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
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but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.
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So the LORD said to Cain: "Why are you so resentful and crestfallen?
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If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master."
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Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
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Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
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The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!
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Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
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If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth."
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Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear.
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Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight."
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Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
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Cain then left the LORD'S presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
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Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain also became the founder of a city, which he named after his son Enoch.
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To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael; Mehujael became the father of Methusael, and Methusael became the father of Lamech.
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Lamech took two wives; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.
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Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who dwell in tents and keep cattle.
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His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.
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Zillah, on her part, gave birth to Tubalcain, the ancestor of all who forge instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
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Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance: I have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me.
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If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
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Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. "God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel," she said, "because Cain slew him."
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To Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the LORD by name.
New Testament: Luke 15:11
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,
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but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
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So to them he addressed this parable.
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"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
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And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
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and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
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I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
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"Or what woman having ten coins 2 and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?
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And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'
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In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
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Then he said, "A man had two sons,
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and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.
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After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
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When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
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So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
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And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
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Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.
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I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
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I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
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So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
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His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
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But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
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Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
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because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.
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Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.
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He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
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The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
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He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
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He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
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But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
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He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
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But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"