15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, (A)“Blessed is everyone who will (B)eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, (C)“A man once (D)gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he (E)sent his servant[a] to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, (F)‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in (G)the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you,[b] (H)none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:17 Or bondservant; also verses 21 (twice), 22, 23
  2. Luke 14:24 The Greek word for you here is plural

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[a] in the kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus[b] 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.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:15 Lit. eat bread
  2. Luke 14:16 Lit. He