Luke 14

Healing of a Man on the Sabbath

1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, a "Is it lawful to heal on the 1 Sabbath?" 4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, b "Which of you, having a 2 donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 "and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 c "But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 d "For whoever exalts himself will be 3 humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The Parable of the Great Banquet

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 "But when you give a feast, invite e the poor, the 4 maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 "And you will be f blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, g "Blessed is he who shall eat 5 bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 h Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 "and i sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' 18 "But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' 19 "And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 "Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 "So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the 6 maimed and the lame and the blind.' 22 "And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' 23 "Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 'For I say to you j that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.' "

The Cost of Discipleship

25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 k "If anyone comes to Me l and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, m yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 "And n whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 "For o which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it - 29 "lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 "saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 "Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 "So likewise, whoever of you p does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Salt Without Taste Is Worthless

34 q "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 "It is neither fit for the land nor for the 7 dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 12:10
    And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" - that they might accuse Him.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 23:5
    If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.
    Deuteronomy 22:4
    You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again.
    Luke 13:15
    The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
  3. Cross References
    Proverbs 25:6
    Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
    Proverbs 25:7
    For it is better that he say to you, "Come up here," Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
  4. Cross References
    Job 22:29
    When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltati...
    Psalms 18:27
    For You will save the humble people, But will b...
    Proverbs 29:23
    A man's pride will bring him low, But the humbl...
    Matthew 23:12
    And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and...
    Luke 18:14
    "I tell you, this man went down to his house ju...
    James 4:6
    But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "Go...
    1 Peter 5:5
    Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves ...
  5. Cross References
    Nehemiah 8:10
    Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
    Nehemiah 8:12
    And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
  6. Cross References
    Matthew 25:34 - 40
    Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
  7. Cross References
    Revelation 19:9
    Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God.
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 22:2 - 14
    The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son.
  9. Cross References
    Proverbs 9:2
    She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table.
    Proverbs 9:5
    Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 21:43
    Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
    Matthew 22:8
    Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
    Acts 13:46
    Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:6
    If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers.
    Deuteronomy 33:9
    Who says of his father and mother, 'I have not seen them'; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant.
    Matthew 10:37
    He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
  12. Cross References
    Romans 9:13
    As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
  13. Cross References
    Revelation 12:11
    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
  14. Cross References
    Matthew 16:24
    Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
    Mark 8:34
    When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
    Luke 9:23
    Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
    2 Timothy 3:12
    Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
  15. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:27
    Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.
  16. Cross References
    Matthew 19:27
    Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?
  17. Cross References
    Matthew 5:13
    You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
    Mark 9:50
    "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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