Luke 14
14
1-3One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints. So Jesus asked the religion scholars and Pharisees present, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?”
4-6They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he said, “Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn’t rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?” They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.
Invite the Misfits
7-9He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he’ll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You’re in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.’ Embarrassed, you’ll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.
10-11“When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I’m saying is, If you walk around all high and mighty, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”
12-14Then he turned to the host. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God’s people.”
The Story of the Dinner Party
15That triggered a response from one of the guests: “How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God’s kingdom!”
16-17Jesus followed up. “Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’
18“Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’
19“Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’
20“And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’
21“The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and down-and-out you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’
22“The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded—and there’s still room.’
23-24“The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’”
Figure the Cost
25-27One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.
28-30“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
31-32“Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?
33“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
34-35“Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Luke 14
14
A Man Suffering from Edema Healed
1 And it happened that when he came to the house of a certain one of the leaders of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat a meal,#Literally “bread” they were watching him closely. 2And behold, a certain man was in front of him, suffering from edema. 3And Jesus answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said to the legal experts and Pharisees, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. And he took hold of him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took hold of”) has been translated as a finite verb healed him, and sent him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation away. 5And he said to them, “Who among you, if your#*The words “if your” are not in the Greek text but are implied son or your ox falls into a well#Or “cistern” on the day of the Sabbath, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they were not able to make a reply to these things.
The Parable of the Guests at the Wedding Feast
7Now he told a parable to those who had been invited when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“noticed”) which is understood as temporal noticed how they were choosing for themselves the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast,#Or perhaps simply “a feast” do not recline at the table in the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you has been invited by him, 9and the one who invited you both#Literally “and him” will come and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will come”) has been translated as a finite verb say to you, ‘Give the place to this person,’ and then with shame you will begin to take the last place. 10But when you are invited, go and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb recline at the table in the last place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then it will be an honor to you in the presence of all those who are reclining at the table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Parable of the Great Banquet
12And he also said to the one who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. 13But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they are not able to repay you. For it will be paid back to you at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15Now when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal one of those reclining at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who#Literally “whoever” will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16But he said to him, “A certain man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17And he sent his slave at the hour of the banquet to say to those who have been invited, ‘Come, because now it is ready!’ 18And they all alike#Literally “by one” began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field, and I must#Literally “I have necessity” go out to look at it. I ask you, consider me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you, consider me excused.’ 20And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and for this reason I am not able to come.’ 21And the slave came and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“became angry”) has been translated as a finite verb said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame!’ 22And the slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ 23And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and press them#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to come in, so that my house will be filled! 24For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!’ ”
The Cost of Discipleship
25Now large crowds were going along with him, and he turned around and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“turned around”) has been translated as a finite verb said to them, 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, he cannot be#Literally “he is not able to be” my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow#Literally “come after” me cannot be#Literally “is not able to be” my disciple. 28For which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sit down”) has been translated as a finite verb calculate the cost to see if he has enough#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to complete it?#Literally “for completion” 29Otherwise#Literally “so that lest” after#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“has laid”) he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation all who see it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’ 31Or what king, going out to engage another king in battle, does not sit down first and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sit down”) has been translated as a finite verb deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand. 32But if not, while#*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“is”) the other is still far away, he sends an ambassador and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“asks”) has been translated as a finite verb asks for terms of#Literally “the things with reference to” peace. 33In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his own possessions cannot be#Literally “is not able to be” my disciple.
34“Now salt is good, but if salt becomes tasteless, with what will it be made salty? 35It is usable neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; they throw it out. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
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