Luke 14:12-24

The Parable of the Great Banquet

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give y a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers 1 or your relatives or rich neighbors, z lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, a invite b the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid c at d the resurrection of the just."

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, e "Blessed is everyone who will f eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 But he said to him, g "A man once h gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he i sent his servant 2 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, j '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 k 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, 3 m none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"

  1. Cross References
    John 21:12
    Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
  2. Cross References
    Luke 6:34
    And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
  3. Cross References
    Nehemiah 8:10
    Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
    Nehemiah 8:12
    And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
    Esther 9:22
    As the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
  4. Cross References
    Luke 14:21
    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 the poor and crippled and blind and lame.
  5. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:23
    But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
    1 Thessalonians 4:16
    For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    John 11:24
    Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.
    Revelation 20:4 - 5
    Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
  6. Cross References
    Acts 24:15
    Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
  7. Cross References
    Revelation 19:9
    And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God.
  8. Cross References
    Luke 13:29
    And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.
    Luke 22:16
    For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
    Luke 22:30
    That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  9. Cross References
    Luke 14:16 - 24
    But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.
    Matthew 22:2 - 14
    The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
  10. Cross References
    Isaiah 25:6
    On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
  11. Cross References
    Esther 6:14
    While they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared.
    Proverbs 9:3
    She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town.
    Proverbs 9:5
    Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.
  12. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 24:5
    When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.
  13. Cross References
    Luke 14:13
    But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.
  14. Cross References
    Matthew 21:43
    Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.
    Acts 13:46
    And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.