论安息日治病

14 有个安息日,耶稣到一位法利赛人的首领家里作客,人们密切地监视祂。 当时有一个患水肿病的人在耶稣面前, 耶稣问法利赛人和律法教师:“在安息日可以医病吗?”

他们都闭口不言。耶稣便扶着那人把他医好,叫他走了, 然后又问他们:“如果你们有驴[a]或牛在安息日掉进井里,难道你们不会立刻把它拉上来吗?” 他们都哑口无言。

论谦卑

耶稣在宴席中看见宾客们都争着坐首位,就用比喻对他们说: “参加婚宴的时候,不要坐在首位,因为或许有更尊贵的宾客来赴宴, 主人会把他带到你面前,说,‘请你把首位让给他吧!’你就要满面羞愧地退到末位去了。 10 你去赴宴时,应该先坐在末位,这样主人会对你说,‘朋友,请上坐!’那时,你在宾客面前就有光彩了。 11 因为自高的人必遭贬抑,谦卑的人必得尊荣。”

论待客之道

12 耶稣又对主人说:“摆设午宴、晚宴时,不要邀请你的朋友、弟兄、亲戚或有钱的邻居,免得他们回请你,你便得到报答了。 13 相反,你设宴时,要邀请贫穷的、残疾的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的, 14 这样你就有福了,因为他们都没有能力回报你,到了义人复活那天,上帝一定会赏赐你。”

大宴席的比喻

15 同席的一个客人听了这番话,就对耶稣说:“能够在上帝的国坐席的人多么有福啊!”

16 于是,耶稣对他说:“有一个人大摆宴席,邀请了许多客人。 17 要开席的时候,主人就派奴仆去对客人说,‘一切都准备好了,来赴宴吧!’ 18 可是,他们都找借口推辞。头一个说,‘我刚买了一块田,必须去看一看,请恕我不能参加。’ 19 另一个说,‘我新买了五对牛,要去试一试,请恕我不能参加。’ 20 还有一个说,‘我刚结了婚,所以不能去。’ 21 奴仆回来将这些话告诉主人,主人非常生气,于是对奴仆说,‘快出去到城里的大街小巷把贫穷的、残疾的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的都请来。’ 22 奴仆说,‘主人啊,我照你的吩咐办了,可是还有空位。’ 23 主人又说,‘出去到大路上、篱笆旁硬把人拉来,让我家里座无虚席。 24 我告诉你们,原来邀请的那些人没有一个能尝到我的宴席!’”

做门徒的代价

25 有一大群人跟着耶稣,祂转身对他们说: 26 “若有人要跟从我,就要爱我胜过爱他的父母、妻子、儿女、弟兄、姊妹,甚至自己的生命,否则就不能做我的门徒。 27 若不背起自己的十字架跟从我,就不能做我的门徒。

28 “哪有人建楼房不事先坐下来计算成本,看能否建成? 29 否则,打好了地基却不能完工,徒惹别人嘲笑, 30 ‘这个人开了工,却不能完工!’

31 “哪有王要跟另一个王打仗时,不先坐下来酌量一下自己的一万人是否敌得过对方的两万人? 32 如果自知不敌,一定趁敌人还远的时候,就差使者去求和。

33 “同样,你们若不撇下一切,就不能做我的门徒。 34 盐本来是好的,但如果盐失去了咸味,怎能使它再变咸呢? 35 没有味的盐,既不利于土壤,也不适宜作肥料,只好丢掉。有耳可听的,就应当听。”

Footnotes

  1. 14:5 ”另有抄本作“儿子”。

Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath

14 One Sabbath, Jesus[a] went to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal. The guests[b] were watching Jesus[c] closely. A man whose body was swollen with fluid suddenly appeared in front of him. So Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the Law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they kept silent. So he took hold of the man,[d] healed him, and sent him away. Then he asked them, “If your son[e] or ox falls into a well on the Sabbath day, you would pull him out immediately, wouldn’t you?” And they couldn’t argue with him about this.

A Lesson about Guests

When Jesus[f] noticed how the guests were choosing the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t sit down at the place of honor in case someone more important than you was invited by the host.[g] Then the host who invited both of you would come to you and say, ‘Give this person your place.’ In disgrace, you would have to take the place of least honor. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the place of least honor. Then, when your host comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher,’ and you will be honored in the presence of everyone who eats with you. 11 Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, stop inviting only[h] your friends, brothers, relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return and you would be repaid. 13 Instead, when you give a banquet, make it your habit to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you will be blessed because they can’t repay you. And you will be repaid when the righteous are resurrected.”

The Parable about a Banquet(A)

15 Now one of those eating with him heard this and told him, “How blessed is the person who will eat[i] in the kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus[j] told him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is now ready.’ 18 Every single one of them began asking to be excused. The first told him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to go out and inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I recently got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “So the servant went back and reported all this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and told his servant, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring back the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 The servant said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ 23 Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the streets and the lanes and make the people come in, so that my house may be full. 24 Because I tell all of you, none of those men who were invited will taste anything at my banquet.’”

The Cost of Discipleship(B)

25 Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus.[k] He turned and told them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can’t be my disciple. 27 Whoever doesn’t carry his cross and follow me can’t be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. He will first sit down and estimate the cost to see whether he has enough money to finish it, won’t he? 29 Otherwise, if he lays a foundation and can’t finish the building,[l] everyone who watches will begin to ridicule him 30 and say, ‘This person started a building but couldn’t finish it.’

31 “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He will first sit down and consider whether with 10,000 men he can fight the one coming against him with 20,000 men, won’t he? 32 If he can’t, he will send a delegation to ask for terms of peace while the other king[m] is still far away. 33 In the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.”

Tasteless Salt(C)

34 “Now, salt is good. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can its flavor be restored? 35 It’s suitable neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. People[n] throw it away. Let the person who has ears to hear, listen!”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:1 Lit. he
  2. Luke 14:1 Lit. They
  3. Luke 14:1 Lit. him
  4. Luke 14:4 Lit. him
  5. Luke 14:5 Other mss. read donkey; still other mss. read sheep
  6. Luke 14:7 Lit. he
  7. Luke 14:8 Lit. by him
  8. Luke 14:12 The Gk. lacks only
  9. Luke 14:15 Lit. eat bread
  10. Luke 14:16 Lit. He
  11. Luke 14:25 Lit. him
  12. Luke 14:29 The Gk. lacks the building
  13. Luke 14:32 Lit. while he
  14. Luke 14:35 Lit. They

Jesus at a Pharisee’s House(A)

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee,(B) he was being carefully watched.(C) There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law,(D) “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”(E) But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child[a] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”(F) And they had nothing to say.

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,(G) he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(H)

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,(I) 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”(J)

The Parable of the Great Banquet(K)

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast(L) in the kingdom of God.”(M)

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’(N)

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”(O)

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.(P) 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.(Q)

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.(R)

34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?(S) 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.(T)

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(U)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:5 Some manuscripts donkey

14 The dropsy healed on the Sabbath. 8 The chief place: at banquets. 12 The poor must be called to our feasts. 16 Of those that were bid to the great supper. 23 Some compelled to come in. 28 One about to build a tower.

And [a]it came to pass that when he was entered into the house of [b]one of the chief Pharisees on the Sabbath day, to eat bread, they watched him.

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

Then Jesus answering, spake unto the Lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?

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

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 they could not answer him again to those things.

[c]He spake also a parable to the guests, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms, and said unto them,

When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding, set not thyself down in the chiefest place, lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him,

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

10 (A)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, sit up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at table with thee.

11 (B)For whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

12 [d]Then said he also to him that had bidden him, (C)When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor the rich neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.

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

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

15 ¶ Now when one of them that sat at table heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God.

16 Then said he to him, (D)A certain man made a great supper, and bade many,

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

18 [e]But they all with [f]one mind began to make excuse: The first said unto him, I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

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

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

21 So that servant returned, and showed his master these things. Then was the good man of the house angry, and said to his servant, Go out quickly into the [g]streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

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

23 Then the master said to the servant, Go out into the highways, and hedges, and compel them to come in, that mine house may be filled.

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

25 [h]Now there went great multitudes with him, and he turned and said unto them,

26 (E)If any man come to me, and [i]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.

27 (F)[j]And whosoever beareth not his cross, and cometh after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you minding to build a tower, [k]sitting not down before, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to perform it,

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

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to make an end.

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

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

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

34 (G)[l]Salt is good: but if salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?

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

Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:1 The Law of the very Sabbath ought not to hinder the offices of charity.
  2. Luke 14:1 Either one of the Elders, whom they called the Sanhedrin, or one of the chiefs of the Synagogue, John 7:48, for this word Pharisee was the name of a sect, though it appears by the whole history that the Pharisees were in great credit.
  3. Luke 14:7 The reward of pride is ignomy and the reward of true modesty is glory.
  4. Luke 14:12 Against them which lavish out their goods either ambitiously, or for hope of recompence, whereas Christian charity respecteth only the glory of God, and the profit of our neighbor.
  5. Luke 14:18 The most part even of them to whom God hath revealed himself are so mad, that such helps as they have received of God, they willingly turn into lets and hindrances.
  6. Luke 14:18 As of set purpose, and a thing agreed upon before, for though they allege several causes, yet all of them agree in this, that they have their excuses, that they may not come to supper.
  7. Luke 14:21 Wide and broad quarters.
  8. Luke 14:25 Even those affections, which are of themselves worthy of praise and commendation, must be ruled and ordered, that godliness may have the upper hand and preeminence.
  9. Luke 14:26 If the matter stands between God and him, as Theophylact saith: and therefore these words are not spoken simply, but by comparison.
  10. Luke 14:27 The true followers of Christ must at once build and fight, and therefore be ready and prepared to suffer all kinds of miseries.
  11. Luke 14:28 At home, and casteth all his costs before he begin the work.
  12. Luke 14:34 The disciples of Christ must be wise, both for themselves and for others: otherwise they become the most foolish of all.