Jesus heals on the sabbath, teaches humility at the table, and tells of a great supper whose invited guests make excuses. He warns would-be followers to count the cost.
1 And it came to pass , as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him .
2 And , behold , there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy .
3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees , saying , Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day ?
4 And they held their peace . And he took him, and healed him , and let him go ;
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 again to these things .
7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden , when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms ; saying unto them ,
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding , sit not down in the highest room ; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him ;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee , Give this man place ; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room .
10 But when thou art bidden , go and sit down in the lowest room ; that when he that bade thee cometh , he may say unto thee , Friend , go up higher : then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee .
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased ; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted .
12 Then said he also to him that bade 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 bid thee again , and a recompence be made thee .
13 But when thou makest a feast , 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 them that sat at meat 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 bade many :
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden , 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 piece of ground , and I must needs 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 servant came , and shewed his lord these things . 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 hither the poor , and the maimed , and the halt , and the blind .
22 And the servant said , Lord , it is done as thou hast commanded , and yet there is room .
23 And the lord said unto 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 unto you , That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper .
25 And there went great multitudes with him : and he turned , and said unto them ,
26 If any man come to me , and hate not his father , and mother , and wife , and children , and brethren , and sisters , yea , and his own life also , he cannot be my disciple .
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross , and come after me , cannot be my disciple .
28 For which of you , intending to build a tower , sitteth not down first , and counteth the cost , whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply , after he hath 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 , sitteth not down first , and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand ?
32 Or else , while the other is yet a great way off , he sendeth an ambassage , and desireth conditions of peace .
33 So likewise , whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath , he cannot be my disciple .
34 Salt is good : but if the salt have lost his savour , wherewith shall it be seasoned ?
35 It is neither fit for the land , nor yet for the dunghill ; but men cast it out . He that hath ears to hear , let him hear .