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Parable of the Wedding Feast

And He was telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how (A)they were picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, (B)do not recline at the place of honor, lest someone more highly regarded than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then (C)in shame you [a]proceed to occupy the last place. 10 But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, (D)move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who recline at the table with you. 11 (E)For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 But when you give a [b]reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they [c]do not have the means to repay you; for it will be repaid to you at (F)the resurrection of the righteous.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:9 Lit begin
  2. Luke 14:13 Or banquet
  3. Luke 14:14 Or are unable to

When he noticed how they were selecting the places of honor, he told the invited guests a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline in the place of honor, or perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him. The one who invited both of you may come and tell you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will begin, with shame, to take the lowest place.

10 “But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will have honor in the presence of all who are reclining at the table with you.

11 “Yes, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back.

13 “But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. Certainly, you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

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