Luke 14

Jesus Attends a Banquet

1 On a day of worship Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus very closely.2 A man whose body was swollen with fluid was there.3 Jesus reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “Is it right to heal on the day of worship or not?”

4 But they didn’t say a thing.
So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away.5 Jesus asked them, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of worship, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?”

6 They couldn’t argue with him about this.
7 Then Jesus noticed how the guests always chose the places of honor. So he used this illustration when he spoke to them:8 “When someone invites you to a wedding, don’t take the place of honor. Maybe someone more important than you was invited.9 Then your host would say to you, ‘Give this person your place.’ Embarrassed, you would have to take the place of least honor.10 So when you’re invited, take the place of least honor. Then, when your host comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move to a more honorable place.’ Then all the other guests will see how you are honored.

11 Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.”
12 Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don’t invite only your friends, family, other relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they will return the favor.13 Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the handicapped, the lame, and the blind.

14 Then you will be blessed because they don’t have any way to pay you back. You will be paid back when those who have God’s approval come back to life.”
15 One of those eating with him heard this. So he said to Jesus, “The person who will be at the banquet in the kingdom of God is blessed.”16 Jesus said to him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people.

17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready now.’
18 “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow. Please excuse me.’

20 Still another said, ‘I recently got married, and that’s why I can’t come.’
21 “The servant went back to report this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry. He told his servant, ‘Run to every street and alley in the city! Bring back the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame.’22 “The servant said, ‘Sir, what you’ve ordered has been done. But there is still room for more people.’23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full.

24 I can guarantee that none of those invited earlier will taste any food at my banquet.’ ”

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned to them and said,26 “If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.

27 So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.
28 “Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it.29 Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can’t finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you.

30 They’ll say, ‘This person started to build but couldn’t finish the job.’
31 “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers?32 If he can’t, he’ll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away.

33 In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.
34 “Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor?

35 It’s not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away.
“Let the person who has ears listen!”

Luke 14

1 And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him.2 And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy.3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?4 But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go.5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?6 And they could not answer again unto these things.7 And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them,8 When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him,9 and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place.10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee.11 For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.12 And he said to him also that had bidden him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.13 But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:14 and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.16 But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:17 and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.21 And the servant came, and told his lord these things. 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 hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.22 And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.24 For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.25 Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them,26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it?29 Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him,30 saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.31 Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace.33 So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.34 Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?35 It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.