New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely.

1One Sabbath, when He went to eat at the house of one of the leading Pharisees, they were watching Him closely.

2There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.

2There in front of Him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.

3Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?”

3In response, Jesus asked the law experts and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"

4When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.

4But they kept silent. He took the man, 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?”

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?"

6Again they could not answer. Jesus Teaches about Humility

6To this they could find no 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:

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 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?

8"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don't recline at the best place, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host.

9 The 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!

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 “Instead, 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.

10"But when you are invited, go and recline 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.

11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself 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.

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, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, because they might invite you back, and you would be repaid.

13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

13On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind.

14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” Parable of the Great Feast

14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

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!”

15When one of those who reclined at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "The one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God is blessed!"

16Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations.

16Then He told him: "A man was giving a large banquet and invited many.

17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’

17At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, Come, because everything is now ready.'

18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’

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 just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please 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 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

20"And another said, I just got married, and therefore I'm unable to come.'

21 “The 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.’

21"So the slave came back and reported these things to his master. Then in anger, the master of the house told his slave, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor, maimed, blind, and lame!'

22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’

22"Master,' the slave said, what you ordered has been done, and there's still room.'

23 So 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.

23"Then the master told the slave, Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.

24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” The Cost of Being a Disciple

24For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will enjoy my banquet!'"

25A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them,

25Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them:

26 “If 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.

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.

27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

28 “But 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?

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?

29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.

29Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to make fun of him,

30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

30saying, This man started to build and wasn't able to finish.'

31 “Or 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?

31"Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with 10,000 to oppose the one who comes against him with 20,000?

32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.

32If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

33In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not say good-bye to all his possessions cannot be My disciple.

34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?

34"Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty?

35 Flavorless 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!”

35It isn't fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!"

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.