Parable of the Guests

⁷ Now He began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how ^(A)they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, ⁸ “Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, ^(B)do not ^[a]take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, ⁹ and the one who invited you ^[b]both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then ^(C)in disgrace you will proceed to occupy the last place. ¹⁰ But whenever you are invited, go and ^[c]take the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, ^(D)move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are ^[d]dining at the table with you. ^11 (E)For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹² Now He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “Whenever you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you to a meal in return, and that will be your ^[e]repayment. ¹³ But whenever you give a ^[f]banquet, invite people who are poor, who have disabilities, who are limping, and people who are blind; ¹⁴ and you will be blessed, since they ^[g]do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at ^(F)the resurrection of the righteous.”