1 And it came to pass as he went into the house of one of the princes of the Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him who had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they were silent. And he took him and healed him and dismissed him 5 and answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him as to these things.
7 And observing how they chose the first seats at the table, he put forth a parable to those who were invited, saying unto them, 8 When thou art called to a wedding by anyone, do not sit down in the highest place, lest a more honourable man than thou be invited of him, 9 and he that called thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place, and thou begin with shame to have the lowest place. 10 But when thou art called, go and sit down in the lowest place that when he that invited thee comes, he may say unto thee, Friend, come up higher; then shalt thou have glory in the presence of those that sit at the table with thee. 11 For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
12 Then said he also to him that invited him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours, lest they also invite thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a banquet, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 and thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
15 And when one of those that sat at the table with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper and called many 17 and sent his slave at supper time to say to those that were called, Come, for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I have need to go and see it; I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that slave came and showed his lord these things. Then the husband of the house, being angry, said to his slave, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind. 22 And the slave said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the slave, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were called shall taste of my supper.
25 And great multitudes went with him, and he turned and said unto them, 26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, and even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever does not bear his cross {Gr. stauros – stake} and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest perhaps after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all that behold 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 consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and desires conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, any one of you that does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its savour, with what shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither good for the land, nor for the dunghill; it is cast out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.