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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

Humility and Hospitality

Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

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