1 Now it came to pass, when He came into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they were watching Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
4 But they were silent. And taking hold of him, He healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they were not able to answer Him regarding these things.
Taking the Lowly Place
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them: 8 “Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding celebration, do not sit down in the place of honor, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the last place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the last place, so that when he who invited you comes, he shall say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”
12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they do not have anything to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just.”
The Parable of the Great Supper
15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat breakfast in the kingdom of God!”
16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great banquet, and he invited many, 17 and he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I must go and see it. I ask you, have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you, have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the roads and hedges, and compel them to come in, so 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.’ ”
Counting the Cost
25 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. And turning, He said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross 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 up the cost, whether he has the resources to complete it? 29 Lest perhaps after he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all those who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going to engage another king in battle, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks the terms for peace. 33 So likewise, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple.
34 “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men cast it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
