Reading outline · Parable
The father and two sons
The younger son takes his inheritance, leaves home and falls into poverty.
This outline follows the main passages. Open each reading to follow the story in full.
In this outline
Leaving and losing
The younger son takes his inheritance, leaves home and falls into poverty.
He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far …
The return
The father welcomes the returning son and orders a celebration.
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. …
The elder brother
The elder son objects. The father addresses his anger and the return of his brother.
“Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the …
Sources & reading notes
Introductions and explanations are editorial writing. Quoted text retains its named edition; selections may be shortened with an ellipsis.
Leaving and losing. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
The return. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
The elder brother. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
Original scene outline
Leaving and losing
The younger son takes his inheritance, leaves home and falls into poverty.
The return
The father welcomes the returning son and orders a celebration.
The elder brother
The elder son objects. The father addresses his anger and the return of his brother.