Luke 14

1 AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the principal Pharisees, to eat bread on the sabbath, that they were watchfully observant of him.

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat at the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, the people there were watching him closely.

2 And, behold, there was a certain man who had a dropsy, before him.

And behold, there in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy.

3 And Jesus addressing himself to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, spake, saying, Is it lawful to perform cures on the sabbath?

In response Jesus said to the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

4 And they said nothing. And he took him, and healed him, and sent him away;

But they remained silent. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away.

5 and addressing them, said, Whose ass or ox is fallen into a pit, and doth he not immediately pull him out on the sabbath-day?

Then he said to them, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a pit on the Sabbath will not immediately pull him out?”

6 And they were unable to answer him in opposition to these things.

But they could give him no answer about these things.

7 Then he spake to those who were invited, a parable, when he observed how they chose the principal seats; saying unto them,

When Jesus noticed how the guests were choosing the places of honor for themselves, he told them a parable:

8 When thou art invited of any person to a marriage entertainment, recline not on the principal couch; lest a more honourable personage than thyself be invited by him;

“When yoʋ are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not recline in the place of honor, in case someone more honorable than yoʋ has been invited by yoʋr host.

9 and he that invited thee and him, coming say to thee, Yield this person the place; and so thou shalt begin with shame to go down to the lowest place.

Then the host, who invited you both, will come and say to yoʋ, ‘Give yoʋr place to this person.’ And with shame yoʋ will begin moving to the least important place.

10 But when thou art invited, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee comes, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have respect in the presence of those who are seated with thee.

But when yoʋ are invited, go recline in the least important place, so that, when yoʋr host comes, he will say to yoʋ, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then yoʋ will be honored in the presence of those who are reclining at the table with yoʋ.

11 For every one who exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 Then said he also to the person who had invited him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, invite not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy relations, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also invite thee again, and a recompence be made to thee.

Jesus also said to the man who had invited him, “When yoʋ prepare a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite yoʋr friends, yoʋr brothers, yoʋr relatives, or yoʋr rich neighbors. If yoʋ do, they may invite yoʋ in return, and yoʋ will be repaid.

13 But when thou makest an entertainment, invite the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind:

But when yoʋ prepare a banquet, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.

14 and thou shalt be blessed; because they cannot recompense thee: for a recompence shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just.

Then yoʋ will be blessed. Since they do not have the means to repay yoʋ, yoʋ will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

15 Then one of those who sat at table hearing these things, said to him, Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

When one of the men reclining at the table with Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16 And he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many:

Jesus said to him, “A man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.

17 and sent his servants at supper-time to say to the invited, Come; for all things are now ready.

At the time for the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 And they all began with one voice to frame excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must of necessity go and survey it: I pray thee hold me excused.

But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go out and see it. I ask yoʋ to have me excused.’

19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and am going to make a trial of them: I pray thee accept my excuse.

Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am on my way to try them out. I ask yoʋ to have me excused.’

20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Still another said, ‘I have married a woman, and for that reason I cannot come.’

21 And that servant returning, informed his master of these things. Then the master of the family, being highly incensed, said to his servant, Go out instantly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

So the servant came back and told these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.’

22 And the servant said, Sir, it is done as thou orderedst, and yet there is room.

After the servant had done so, he said, ‘Master, it has been done as yoʋ commanded, and there is still room.’

23 And the master said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and urge them to come in, that my house may be filled.

So the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.

24 For I say unto you, That not one man of those who were invited shall taste of my supper.

For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

25 And great multitudes followed him about: and he turned, and spoke to them,

Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and said to them,

26 If any man cometh after me, and hateth not father, and mother, and wife and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, he cannot be my disciple.

And whoever does not bear his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 For what man of you designing to erect a tower, doth not first sitting down calculate the expence, if he have sufficient to complete the work?

For which of you who wants to build a tower does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see if he has what he needs to complete it?

29 lest haply, after having laid the foundation, and being unable to finish it, all who look upon it begin to ridicule him,

For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who are looking on will begin to mock him,

30 saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

31 Or what king, going forth to encounter another king in battle, doth not sit down first, and consult if he is able with ten thousand men to meet him who is coming against him with twenty thousand?

Or what king, when he is going out to confront another king in battle, does not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to face the king who is coming against him with twenty thousand men?

32 and if he be not, whilst he is still at a distance, he sendeth an embassy, and desires terms of peace.

If he is not able to do so, he sends a delegation while the other is still far away and asks for terms of peace.

33 So then, every one of you who will not part with all his possessions, cannot be my disciple.

So then, any one of you who does not give up all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt become insipid, by what shall it be seasoned?

“Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor, with what shall it be seasoned?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor for manure; but they cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile, so it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”