The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14

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 ₁ 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 ₂ 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 ₃ 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.' "

1. 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.
   
2. 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:
   
3. 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.
   
4. Cross References
   Matthew 22:2 - 14
   The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son.
   
5. 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.
   
6. 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.
   

New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.