Luke 14

1 AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.

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

Right there before Him was a man with dropsy.

3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

So Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”

4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

But they remained silent. Then Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

And He asked them, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a pit on the Sabbath day will not immediately pull him out?”

6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

And they were unable to answer these questions.

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

“When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited.

9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place.

10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you.

11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

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

12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid.

13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,

14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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.

When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

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

But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

When it was 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 with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’

19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’

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

Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’

21 So that servant came, and shewed 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 the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

‘Sir,’ the servant replied, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’

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

So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.

24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, 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 and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.

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

And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,

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

saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?

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

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