The Diatessaron of Tatian — Section 26

St. Cyril of Alexandria

1. 0. Greeting

1, 2 [[Luke 15.1]] And there came unto him publicans and sinners to hear his word. [[Luke 15.2]] And the scribes and the Pharisees murmured, and said, This man receives sinners, and 3 eats with them. [[Luke 15.3]] And Jesus, when he beheld their murmuring, spoke unto them 4 this parable: [[Luke 15.4]] What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if one of them were lost, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go and seek the straying one 5 till he found it? [[Matthew 18.13]] Verily I say unto you, When he finds it, he will rejoice over it 6 more than over the ninety-nine that went not astray; [[Luke 15.5]] b and bear it on his shoulders, and bring it to his house, and call his friends and neighbours, [[Luke 15.6]] and say unto them, 7 Rejoice with me, since I have found my straying sheep. [[Matthew 18.14]] So your Father which is in heaven wills not that one of these little ones that have strayed should perish, 8 and he seeks for them repentance. [[Luke 15.7]] I say unto you, Thus there shall be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.

9 [[Luke 15.8]] And what woman having ten drachmas would lose one of them, and not light a 10 lamp, and sweep the house, and seek it with care till she found it; [[Luke 15.9]] and when she found it, call her friends and neighbours, and say unto them, Rejoice with me, as I 11 have found my drachma that was lost? [[Luke 15.10]] I say unto you, Thus there shall be joy [Arabic, p. 101] before the angels of God over the one sinner that repents, more than over the ninety-nine righteous persons that do not need repentance.

12, 13 [[Luke 15.11]] And Jesus spoke unto them also another parable: [[Luke 15.12]] A man had two sons: and the younger son said to him, My father, give me my portion that belongs to 14 me of your goods. [[Luke 15.13]] And he divided between them his property. And after a few days the younger son gathered everything that belonged to him, and went into a 15 far country, and there squandered his property by living prodigally. [[Luke 15.14]] And when he had exhausted everything he had, there occurred a great dearth in that country. 16 [[Luke 15.15]] And when he was in want, he went and joined himself to one of the people of a city 17 of that country; and that man sent him into the field to feed the swine. [[Luke 15.16]] And he used to long to fill his belly with the carob that those swine were eating: and no man 18 gave him. [[Luke 15.17]] And when he returned unto himself, he said, How many hired servants now in my father's house have bread enough and to spare, while I here perish with 19 hunger! [[Luke 15.18]] I will arise and go to my father's house, and say unto him, My father, [[Luke 15.19]] I 20 have sinned in heaven and before you, and am not worthy now to be called your 21 son: make me as one of your hired servants. [[Luke 15.20]] And he arose, and came to his father. But his father saw him while he w