## Jesus spoke this parable to them ##

"To them" refers to the religious leaders.

## Which one of you . . will not leave the ninety nine . . and go after . . until he finds it? ##

This is a rhetorical question. Jesus was reminding the people that if any of them lost one of their sheep, they would certainly go looking for it. This can be translated as a statement as in the UDB.  Some languages have ways of showing that this is a hypothetical situation and not a story about a particular person who has lost a sheep. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]], [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo]])

## Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep ##

Since the parable starts with "Which one of you," some languages would continue the parable in the second person "if you have a hundred sheep." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]])

## hundred...ninety-nine ##

nine** - "100...99" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]])