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Luke chapter 14

English Standard Version

1One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they could not reply to these things.
7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
15When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
25Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and 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, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
34“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
New International Version

1One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. 3Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?' 4But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
5Then he asked them, 'If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?' 6And they had nothing to say.
7When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this person your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'
12Then Jesus said to his host, 'When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'
15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, 'Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.'
16Jesus replied: 'A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
19Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
21The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
22'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
23Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.''
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.'
31Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
34Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. 'Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.'
New American Standard Bible

1It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. 2And there in front of Him was a man suffering from edema. 3And Jesus responded and said to the lawyers and Pharisees, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?' 4But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. 5And He said to them, 'Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?' 6And they could offer no reply to this.
7Now He began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8Whenever you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9and the one who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then in disgrace you will proceed to occupy the last place. 10But whenever you are invited, go and take the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are dining at the table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.'
12Now He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, 'Whenever you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you to a meal in return, and that will be your repayment. 13But whenever you give a banquet, invite people who are poor, who have disabilities, who are limping, and people who are blind; 14and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'
15Now when one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, 'Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!'
16But He said to him, 'A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 17and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is ready now.’ 18And yet they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I purchased a field and I need to go out to look at it; please consider me excused.’ 19And another one said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ 20And another one said, ‘I took a woman as my wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ 21And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here those who are poor, those with disabilities, those who are blind, and those who are limping.’ 22And later the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and the hedges and press upon them to come in, so that my house will be filled. 24For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my dinner.’?'
25Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, 26If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ 31Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace. 33So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
34Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35It is useless either for the soil or the manure pile, so it is thrown out. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.'
Christian Standard Bible

1One Sabbath, when he went in to eat at the house of one of the leading Pharisees, they were watching him closely. 2There in front of him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid. 3In response, Jesus asked the law experts and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? " 4But they kept silent. He took the man, healed him, and sent him away. 5And to them, he said, "Which of you whose son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? " 6They could find no answer to these things.
7He told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves: 8"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don't sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host. 9The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man,' and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place.
10"But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' You will then be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
12He also said to the one who had invited him, "When you give a lunch or a dinner, don't invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, because they might invite you back, and you would be repaid. 13On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
15When one of those who reclined at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God! "
16Then he told him, "A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, 'Come, because everything is now ready.'
18"But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.'
19"Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.'
20"And another said, 'I just got married, and therefore I'm unable to come.'
21"So the servant came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.'
22" 'Master,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, and there's still room.'
23"Then the master told the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and make them come in, so that my house may be filled. 24For I tell you, not one of those people who were invited will enjoy my banquet.' "
25Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, and even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
28"For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, 'This man started to build and wasn't able to finish.'
31"Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.
34"Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? 35It isn't fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen."
New Living Translation

1One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. 2There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. 3Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, 'Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?' 4When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. 5Then he turned to them and said, 'Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?' 6Again they could not answer.
7When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
10Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'
12Then he turned to his host. 'When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,' he said, 'don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.'
15Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, 'What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!'
16Jesus replied with this story: 'A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’'
25A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else — your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
28But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
31Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
34Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!'
King James Version

1And 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. 2And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 5And 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? 6And they could not answer him again to these things.
7And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8When 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; 9And 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. 10But 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. 11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 12Then 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. 13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
15And 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. 16Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18And 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. 19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21So 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. 22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23And 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. 24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26If 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. 27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or 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? 32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35It 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.

What does Luke chapter 14 mean?

Luke 12:1—19:27 is a curious passage within the larger so-called "travelogue" of Jesus (Luke 9:51—19:27). It can be broken into six sections:

  • Luke 12:1—13:9: instructions on living in God's kingdom.
  • Luke 13:10—13:35: a Sabbath healing and instructions on the kingdom and salvation.
  • Luke 14:1—15:32: a Sabbath healing and instructions on the kingdom and salvation.
  • Luke 16:1—17:10: warnings against rejecting God's kingdom.
  • Luke 17:11—18:34: a healing and instructions on the kingdom and salvation.
  • Luke 18:35—19:27: a healing and instructions on the kingdom and salvation.

In this section, Luke 14:1—15:32, Jesus talks about who will enter the kingdom of God: the needy, the humble, the generous, those who come when God invites them, those who endure, and those Jesus seeks. Salvation is, obviously, part of the kingdom of God, and certainly the most important. Yet it is not the whole. The kingdom of God is any time God's power and sovereignty are displayed, including in discipline and blessings.

In the first story, Jesus visits the kingdom of God upon a man with a debilitating illness. This time, it is in the home of a Pharisee on the Sabbath. As with the woman who was bent over (Luke 13:10–17), Jesus heals boldly and then shames the legalists for their hard-heartedness. The belief that traditional rules about the Sabbath should supersede God's compassion is close to blasphemy (Luke 14:1–6).

In the second story, Jesus explains the necessity of humility for entering the kingdom of God. While watching the banquet guests jockey for their seats, He warns them. If they take a seat higher than their social standing warrants and someone more important arrives, they may be escorted to a lower place. But if they take the lowest place, the host may honor them by leading them to a more respectable position. Humility is always more genuinely honoring than pride (Luke 14:7–11).

In the third story, Jesus turns to the host, telling him it is more godly to invite people who are disadvantaged and could never repay the favor. Trust God to pay the debts of those who can't pay for themselves (Luke 14:12–14).

The fourth story begins with a spontaneous comment from another guest about God's great banquet at the resurrection. Jesus uses the opportunity to make a point about those who will attend this banquet. This is reserved only for those willing to abandon the satisfaction they receive from worldly pleasures and come when God calls (Luke 14:15–24).

Finally, Luke transitions to a lesson on what those who wish to enter God's kingdom must consider giving up. They need to "count the cost:" to seriously consider whether they are willing to make long-term sacrifices to remain faithful to Him. If they don't, their present attempt to identify as His disciple will not benefit God's kingdom (Luke 14:25–35).

In chapter 15, Luke completes the section with three parables about "lost-ness:" the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the prodigal son. Jesus wants people to enter God's kingdom, and He is willing to search for those who need help getting there.
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