14Verse 1Now it came to pass, when He came into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they were watching Him closely.Verse 2And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.Verse 3And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”Verse 4But they were silent. And taking hold of him, He healed him, and let him go.Verse 5Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”Verse 6And they were not able to answer Him regarding these things.
Taking the Lowly Place
Verse 7So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them:Verse 8“Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding celebration, do not sit down in the place of honor, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;Verse 9and he who invited you and him shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the last place.Verse 10But when you are invited, go and sit down in the last place, so that when he who invited you comes, he shall say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you.Verse 11For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”Verse 12Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.Verse 13But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;Verse 14and you will be blessed, because they do not have anything to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just.”
The Parable of the Great Supper
Verse 15Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat breakfast in the kingdom of God!”Verse 16Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great banquet, and he invited many,Verse 17and he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’Verse 18But they all with one accord began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I must go and see it. I ask you, have me excused.’Verse 19And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you, have me excused.’Verse 20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, therefore I cannot come.’Verse 21So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’Verse 22And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’Verse 23Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.Verse 24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.’ ”
Counting the Cost
Verse 25Now great crowds were traveling with Him. And turning, He said to them,Verse 26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.Verse 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.Verse 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count up the cost, whether he has the resources to complete it?Verse 29Lest perhaps after he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all those who see it begin to mock him,Verse 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’Verse 31Or what king, going to engage another king in battle, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?Verse 32Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks the terms for peace.Verse 33So likewise, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple.Verse 34“Salt is good; but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned?Verse 35It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men cast it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”