1 A nd it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him.

On the Day of Rest Jesus went into the house of one of the leaders of the proud religious law-keepers to eat. They all watched Jesus to see what He would do.

2 A nd behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy.

A man who had very large arms and legs because of a sickness was put before Jesus.

3 A nd Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?

Jesus asked the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers, “Does the Law say it is right to heal on the Day of Rest, or not?”

4 B ut they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go.

They did not answer. Jesus took hold of the man and healed him and sent him away.

5 A nd he said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?

Then Jesus said to the leaders, “If one of you had a cow or donkey that fell into a hole, would you not go at once and pull it out on the Day of Rest?”

6 A nd they could not answer again unto these things.

And they were not able to answer His questions. Jesus Teaches about How to Live with Others

7 A nd he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them,

Jesus had been watching those who were asked to come to supper. They were all trying to get the important seats. He told them a picture-story, saying,

8 W hen thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him,

“When you are asked by someone to a wedding supper, do not take the important seat. Someone more important than you may have been asked to come also.

9 a nd he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place.

The one who asked both of you to come may say to you, ‘The important seat is for this man.’ Then you will be ashamed as you take the last place.

10 B ut when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee.

But when you are asked to come to the table, sit down on the last seat. Then the one who asked you may come and say to you, ‘Friend, go to a more important place.’ Then you will be shown respect in front of all who are at the table with you.

11 F or everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Whoever makes himself look more important than he is will find out how little he is worth. Whoever does not try to honor himself will be made important.”

12 A nd he said to him also that had bidden him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.

Then Jesus said to the man who asked Him to eat in his house, “When you have a supper, do not ask your friends or your brothers or your family or your rich neighbors. They will ask you to come to their place for a supper. That way you will be paid back for what you have done.

13 B ut when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

When you have a supper, ask poor people. Ask those who cannot walk and those who are blind.

14 a nd thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

You will be happy if you do this. They cannot pay you back. You will get your pay when the people who are right with God are raised from the dead.”

15 A nd 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.

When one of those eating at the table with Jesus heard this, he said, “Everyone is happy who will eat in the holy nation of God.” The Picture-Story of the Big Supper

16 B ut he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:

Then Jesus said to the leader of the proud religious law-keepers, “There was a man who was giving a big supper. He asked many people to come to eat.

17 a nd he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

When it was about time to eat, he sent one of the servants he owned to tell those he had asked, saying, ‘Come, everything is ready now.’

18 A nd they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.

They all gave different reasons why they could not come. The first said, ‘I have bought some land and I must go and see it. Do not expect me to come.’

19 A nd another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.

Another one said, ‘I have bought ten cows to use for working in my fields. I must go and try them out. Do not expect me to come.’

20 A nd another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

And another one said, ‘I have just been married and I cannot come.’

21 A nd the servant came, and told 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 maimed and blind and lame.

“The servant went back to his owner and told him these things. Then his owner became angry. He said to his servant, ‘Hurry into the streets and narrow roads of the city and bring poor people here. Bring those whose bodies are diseased. Bring those who cannot walk and those who are blind.’

22 A nd the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.

The servant came back and said, ‘Sir, what you told me to do has been done. But there are still some empty places.’

23 A nd the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Then the owner said to his servant, ‘Go out along the roads leading away from the city and into the fields. Tell them they must come. Do this so my house will be filled.

24 F or I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.

I tell you, not one of those I had asked will eat of my supper.’” Giving Up Things of This Earth

25 N ow there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them,

Many people followed Jesus. Then He turned around and said to them,

26 I f any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

“If any man comes to Me and does not have much more love for Me than for his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be My follower.

27 W hosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

If he does not carry his cross and follow Me, he cannot be My follower.

28 F or which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it?

“If one of you wanted to build a large building, you would sit down first and think of how much money it would take to build it. You would see if you had enough money to finish it,

29 L est haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him,

or when the base of the building is finished, you might see that you do not have enough money to finish it. Then all who would see it would make fun of you.

30 s aying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

They would say, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

31 O r what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

“What if a king is going to war with another king? Will he not sit down first and decide if he is able to go with 10, 000 men against the other king who is coming with 20, 000 men?

32 O r else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace.

Or, he will send a soldier to the other king while he is still a long way off. He will ask what can be done to have peace.

33 S o therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

In the same way, whoever does not give up all that he has, cannot be My follower.

34 S alt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

“Salt is good. But if salt has lost its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again?

35 I t is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

It is no good for the field or the waste place. Men throw it away. You have ears, then listen!”