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 (to see how they might accuse Him).

 

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy (a condition of extreme swelling).

 

3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the doctors of the law and Pharisees, saying, Is it permitted (by the law) to heal on the sabbath day?

 

4 And they stayed silent (not answering). And He took (hold of) him, and healed him, and let him go;

 

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

 

6 And they could not answer Him again to (justify themselves about) these things.

 

7 And He spoke a parable to those who were invited, observing how they chose out the (first) chief rooms; saying to them.

 

8 When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down at the (first) highest room; lest a more honorable man than you be invited by him;

 

9 And he that invited you and him come and say to you, Give this man (your) place; and you begin with shame to take the lowest room.

 

10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest room; so that when he who invited you comes, he might say to you, Friend, go up higher: then shall you have honor in the presence of those who sit at dinner with you.

 

11 For whoever exalts himself (in pride) shall be brought low (humbled); and he that humbles himself shall be exalted (to the kingdom of God).

 

12 Then He also said to him who invited him, When you make a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your family, nor your rich neighbors; so that they also invite you in return, and a repayment (or reward) be made to you.

 

13 But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

 

14 And you shall be blessed; for they cannot repay you: for you shall be compensated at the resurrection of the just.

 

15 And when one of them that sat at dinner with Him heard these things, he said to Him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

 

16 Then said He to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many:

 

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

 

18 And they all with one voice began to make an excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I need to go and see it: I pray you have me excused.

 

19 And another said, I have bought five pairs of oxen, and I go to examine them: I ask that you have me excused.

 

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

 

21 So that servant came and showed his master 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 here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.

 

22 And the servant said, master, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is (still more) room.

 

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

 

24 For I say to you, That none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.

 

25 And (at that time) there went great multitudes with Jesus: and He turned (to those who followed Him), and said to them (explaining the parables),

 

26 If any man (desires to) come to Me, and does not love less his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

 

27 And whoever does not (deny the life he can serve himself and) take up the cross himself (being crucified to the life the world can serve him with), and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.

 

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it?

 

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

 

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

 

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand (men) to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand (men)?

 

32 Or else, while the other (king) is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace.

 

33 So likewise, whoever of you that does not forsake (leaving) all that he has (that cannot ever serve him with eternal life), cannot be My disciple.

 

34 Salt is good (comparable to the doctrine that was meant to preserve men’s lives from destruction), but if the salt (that was meant to season and preserve) has lost its savor (its ability to season), with what (else) can it be seasoned (that it might preserve)? (likewise, you have made the word of God of no effect through your traditions).

 

35 It is neither fit for the soil (of a man’s heart) nor yet for the manure pile, but men throw it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.