Luke 14

1 On one occasion, as Jesus was going, on a Sabbath into the house of one of the leading Pharisees to dine, they were watching him closely.

And it came to pass, when he entered into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, on a Sabbath, to eat bread, that, they, were narrowly watching him.

2 There he saw before him a man who was suffering from dropsy.

And lo! there was, a certain man, who had the dropsy, before him.

3 “Is it allowable,” said Jesus, addressing the students of the Law and the Pharisees, “to work a cure on the Sabbath, or is it not?”

And Jesus, answering, spake unto the Lawyers and Pharisees, saying—Is it allowed, on the Sabbath, to cure, or not? But, they, held their peace.

4 They remained silent. Jesus took hold of the man and cured him, and sent him away.

And taking hold [of him] he healed and dismissed him, —

5 And he said to them, “Which of you, finding that your son or your ox has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull them out on the Sabbath day?”

and, unto them, said—Which of you, shall have a son or an ox that, into a pit, shall fall, and will not straightway pull him up, on the day of rest?

6 And they could not make any answer to that.

And they could not return an answer unto these things.

7 Observing that the guests were choosing the best places for themselves, Jesus told them this parable –

And he went on to speak, unto the invited, a parable, —observing how, the first couches, they were choosing; saying unto them—

8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding banquet, do not seat yourself in the best place. Someone of higher rank might have been invited by your host;

Whensoever thou hast been invited by anyone unto a marriage feast, do not recline on the first couch; lest once, a more honourable than thou, have been invited by him,

9 and the host who invited you both will come and say to you ‘Make room for this person,’ and then you will begin in confusion to take the lowest place.

and he that invited both thee and him should come, and say unto thee—Give, unto this one, place! and, then, thou shouldst begin, with shame, the last place, to occupy.

10 No, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place, so that, when the host who has invited you comes, he may say to you ‘Friend, come higher up’; and then you will be honored in the eyes of all your fellow guests.

But, whensoever thou hast been invited, pass on and fall back into the last place, that, whensoever he that hath invited thee shall come, he may say unto thee—Friend! come close up, higher. Then, shalt thou have honour before all who are reclining together with thee.

11 For everyone who exalts themselves will be humbled, and everyone who humbles themselves will be exalted.”

Because, everyone who exalteth himself, shall be abased; and, he that abaseth himself, shall be exalted?

12 Then Jesus went on to say to the man who had invited him, “When you give a breakfast or a dinner, do not ask your friends, or your brothers or sisters, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, because they might invite you in return, and so you should be repaid.

Moreover he went on to say, unto him also who had invited him, —Whensoever thou mayest be making a dinner or a supper, do not call thy friends, or thy brothers, or thy kinsfolk, or rich neighbours, —lest once, they also, invite thee in return, and it become a recompense unto thee.

13 No, when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;

But, whensoever, an entertainment, thou mayest be making, invite the destitute, the tried, the lame, the blind;

14 and then you will be happy indeed, since they cannot reward you; for you will be rewarded at the resurrection of the just.”

and, happy, shalt thou be, that they have not wherewith to recompense thee, for it shall be recompensed unto thee, in the resurrection of the righteous.

15 One of the guests heard what he said and exclaimed, “Happy will be the person who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

And one of those reclining together, hearing these things, said unto him—Happy, whoever shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!

16 But Jesus said to him, “A man was once giving a great dinner. He invited many people,

But, he, said unto him—A certain man, was making a great supper, and invited many;

17 and sent his servant, when it was time for the dinner, to say to those who had been invited ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

and he sent out his servant, at the hour of the supper, to say unto the invited—Be coming! because, even now, is it, ready.

18 They all with one accord began to ask to be excused. The first said to the servant ‘I have bought a field and am obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to consider me excused.’

And they all began, one after another to excuse themselves. The first, said unto him—A field, have I bought, and have need to go out and see it: I request thee, hold me excused.

19 The next said ‘I have bought five pairs of bullocks, and I am on my way to try them. I must ask you to consider me excused’;

And, another, said—Five yoke of oxen, have I bought, and am going my way to prove them; I request thee, hold me excused.

20 while the next said ‘I am just married, and for that reason I am unable to come.’

And, another, said—A wife, have I married, and, for this cause, I cannot come!

21 On his return the servant told his master all these answers. Then in anger the owner of the house said to his servant ‘Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.’

And, going near, the servant reported unto his lord these things. Then, provoked to anger, the master of the house said unto his servant—Go out quickly, into the broadways and streets of the city, —and, the destitute, and tried, and blind, and lame, bring thou in here.

22 Presently the servant said ‘Sir, your order has been carried out, and still there is room.’

And the servant said—Lord! what thou didst order, hath been done; and, yet, there is, room.

23 ‘Go out,’ the master said, ‘into the roads and hedgerows, and make people come in, so that my house may be filled;

And the lord said unto the servant—Go out among the highways and fences, and compel them to come in; that my house may be filled.

24 for I tell you all that not one of those people who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

For, I say unto you—Not one of those men who had been invited, shall taste of my supper.

25 One day, when great crowds of people were walking with Jesus, he turned and said to them,

And there were journeying together with him many multitudes; and, turning, he said unto them—

26 “If any one comes to me and does not hate their father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes and even their life, he can be no disciple of mine.

If anyone cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, further also, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 Whoever does not carry their own cross, and walk in my steps, can be no disciple of mine.

Whoever beareth not his own cross, and cometh after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 Why, which of you, when you want to build a tower, does not first sit down and reckon the cost, to see if you have enough to complete it? –

For, who from among you, wishing to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, —whether he hath sufficient for completion;

29 Otherwise, if you have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will laugh at you,

lest once, he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are looking on, should begin to mock at him,

30 and say ‘Here is a person who 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, when he is setting out to fight another king, does not first sit down and consider if with ten thousand men he is able to meet one who is coming against him with twenty thousand?

Or, what king, moving on to encounter, another king, in battle, will not sit down first and take counsel, whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him who, with twenty thousand, is coming against him.

32 And if he cannot, then, while the other is still at a distance, he sends envoys and asks for terms of peace.

And, if not, by any means, while he is yet afar off, he sendeth, an embassy, and requesteth the conditions of peace.

33 And so with everyone of you who does not bid farewell to all you have – you cannot be a disciple of mine.

Thus, therefore, everyone from amongst you, who doth not bid adieu unto all his own possessions, cannot be my disciple.

34 Yes, salt is good; but, if the salt itself should lose its strength, what will be used to season it?

Good, therefore is the salt; but, if, even the salt, become tasteless, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

35 It is not fit either for the land or for the manure heap. People throw it away. Let those who have ears to hear with hear!”

Neither for land nor for manure, is it, fit: outside, they cast it! He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.