Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁵ One of the guests heard this, and commented, “A blessing on those who eat food in God’s kingdom!”

¹⁶ Jesus said, “Once a man made a great dinner, and invited lots of guests. ¹⁷ When the time for the meal arrived, he sent his servant to say to the guests, ‘Come now—everything’s ready!’ ¹⁸ But the whole pack of them began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I’ve just bought a field, and I really have to go and see it. Please accept my apologies.’ ¹⁹ Another one said, ‘I’ve just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’ve got to go and test them out—please accept my apologies.’ ²⁰ And another one said, ‘I’ve just got married, so naturally I can’t come.’ ²¹ So the servant went back and told his master all this. The householder was cross, and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.’ ²² ‘All right, Master,’ said the servant, ‘I’ve done that—but there’s still room.’ ²³ ‘Well then,’ said the master to the servant, ‘go out into the roads and hedgerows and make them come in, so that my house may be full! ²⁴ Let me tell you this: none of those people who were invited will get to taste my dinner.’ ”