Luke 14

1 One Sabbath [day of rest, seventh day of the week], Jesus went to eat [to have a meal, share bread] in the home [house, dwelling] of a leading [chief, ruler] Pharisee [a member of a Jewish sect], and those [people, guests] in attendance [present, watching] were watching Him [observing, paying close attention to] closely [with great interest, to see if He would do something wrong]. word study 2 Right there before [in His presence] Him was a man [a human being, someone] with dropsy [having edema, swollen with fluid, a medical condition]. word study 3 So Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] asked the experts [lawyers, knowledgeable in God’s laws] in the law [God’s commandments and teachings] and the Pharisees [a Jewish sect following strict religious rules], “Is it lawful [permitted, allowed by God’s laws] to heal [to serve, cure, or restore to health] on the Sabbath [the seventh day of the week, a day of rest and worship] or not [is it right or wrong]?” word study 4 But they remained [completely, utterly] silent [still, unresponsive]. Then Jesus took hold [caught, seized] of the man [the sick person, the one in need], healed [cured, restored to health] him, and sent [released, let go of] him on his way [to go home, to be on his journey]. word study 5 And He asked them, “Which of you [having a son or an animal] whose son [child, offspring] or ox [domesticated animal, like a cow] falls [to come down, to drop] into a pit [deep hole, well, or abyss] on the Sabbath day [day of rest, seventh day of the week] will not immediately [without delay, at once] pull him out [to draw out, to rescue, to save]?” word study 6 And [also, in addition] they were [completely, utterly] unable [lacked the power or strength] to answer [to contradict, reply against] these [specific, particular] questions [matters, things]. word study 7 When Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] noticed [observed, paid attention to] how the guests [those invited, called to the feast] chose [selected, picked out] the places of honor [positions of prominence, seats of dignity], He told [spoke, shared] them a parable [a story with a moral lesson, an illustrative teaching]: word study 8 “When [at any time, whenever] you are invited [called, bidden] to a wedding banquet [marriage feast, celebration], do not sit [recline, take a place] in the place of honor [position of esteem, seat of dignity], in case [lest, perhaps] someone more distinguished [honorable, valued] than you has been invited [called, summoned]. word study 9 Then the host [the one who bade thee] who invited both of you will come [to arrive, to appear] and tell you, ‘Give [yield, surrender] this man [this person, him] your seat [place, position].’ And in [with, accompanied by] humiliation [shame, disgrace], you will have to take [occupy, sit in] the last [lowest, most undesirable] place [position, location]. word study 10 But when you are invited [to a feast, bidden to come], go and sit in the last [lowest, most humble] place, so that your host [the one who called you, the master of the house] will come and tell you, ‘Friend [beloved, dear one], move up to a better [higher, more honorable] place.’ Then you will be honored [given glory, praised] in front of [before, in the presence of] everyone at the table [those dining, reclining to eat] with you. word study 11 For everyone [all people, every individual] who exalts [lifts up, elevates] himself [their own self, personally] will be humbled [brought low, abased], and the one [person, individual] who humbles [lowers, makes themselves nothing] himself [their own self, personally] will be exalted [lifted up, elevated].” word study 12 Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host [make or prepare] a dinner [early meal] or a banquet [supper], do not invite [call or summon] your friends [dear ones] or brothers [fellow believers] or relatives [kin] or rich [wealthy] neighbors [those nearby]. Otherwise [lest], they may invite [call in return] you in return, and you will be repaid [receive antapodoma, repayment or reward]. word study 13 But [in contrast, on the other hand] when you host [make, prepare] a banquet [feast, reception], invite [call, summon] the poor [needy, destitute], the crippled [maimed, injured], the lame [disabled, weak], and the blind [physically or spiritually sightless], word study 14 and you will be [truly] blessed [happy, fortunate]. Since they cannot [are unable to] repay you, you will be repaid [recompensed, rewarded] at the resurrection [standing up again from death] of the righteous [just, upright, those who are in right standing with God].” word study 15 When one [a certain individual, someone] of those reclining [dining, sitting at table] with Him heard [listened, understood] this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] is everyone who will eat [partake, feast] at the feast [banquet, special meal] in the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the Almighty, Creator].” word study 16 But Jesus replied, “A certain [specific, particular] man [a human being] prepared [made, created] a great [large, intense] banquet [dinner, feast] and invited [called, summoned] many [a large number] guests [people, individuals]. word study 17 When it was time [at the hour] for the banquet [dinner], he sent [to dispatch] his servant [slave] to tell those who had been invited [called], ‘Come [to come or go], for everything [all things] is now [already] ready [prepared].’ word study 18 But one after another [with a united front, in agreement] they all began to make excuses [to refuse or decline invitations]. The first one said, ‘I have bought [purchased, acquired] a field [a piece of land, a farm], and I need [it is necessary for me] to go see [to visit, to inspect] it. Please excuse me [have me excused, forgive my absence].’ word study 19 Another [different, someone else] said, ‘I have bought [purchased, acquired] five [a specific number, a handful] yoke [pairs, teams] of oxen [domesticated animals, cattle], and I am going [to travel, on my way] to try [test, prove] them out [to see their quality, to examine]. Please [I pray, I ask] excuse [pardon, forgive] me [have me excused, release me].’ word study 20 Still another [different, another person] said, ‘I have married [wed, taken as my wife] a wife [woman, partner], so [because of, due to] I cannot [am not able, have no power to] come [go, attend, be present].’ word study 21 The servant [slave, bondservant] returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner [householder, master of the family] of the house became angry [enraged, furious] and said to his servant, ‘Go out [come out, depart] quickly [swiftly, without delay] into the streets [broad places, public squares] and alleys [lanes, narrow roads] of the city, and bring in [introduce, invite] the poor [needy, destitute], the crippled [maimed, disabled], the blind [physically or spiritually sightless], and the lame [disabled, weak].’ word study 22 ‘Sir [Lord, Master],’ the servant [slave, bondservant] replied, ‘what you ordered [commanded, instructed] has been done [accomplished, fulfilled], and there is still [yet, even now] room [space, place].’ word study 23 So the master [lord, one in authority] told his servant [slave, one bound to serve], ‘Go out [to go forth, to proceed] to the highways [roads, paths] and hedges [fences, barriers] and compel [to force, to urge strongly] them to come in [to enter, to join], so that my house [home, dwelling place] will be full [filled, complete]. word study 24 For I tell you [declare to you, say unto you], not one [none, no one] of those men [adult males, individuals] who were invited [called, bidden] will taste [experience, partake of] my banquet [feast, supper, dinner] [a time of celebration and fellowship].’” word study 25 Large [great, numerous] crowds [multitudes, great numbers] were now traveling [going, journeying] with Jesus [together, as companions], and He turned [having turned, changing direction] and said [spoke, uttered] to them [toward, in the direction of], word study 26 “If anyone [any person, an individual] comes to Me and does not [completely rejects, hates] hate his father [male parent, ancestor] and mother [female parent, nurturer] and wife [spouse, partner] and children [offspring, descendants] and brothers [male siblings, fellow believers] and sisters [female siblings, fellow believers]—yes, even [including, also] his own life [soul, breath of life]—he cannot [is not able, lacks the power] be My disciple [follower, learner]. word study 27 And whoever [whosoever, anyone] does not carry [bear, lift up] his cross [instrument of capital punishment] and follow [come after, obey] Me cannot [is not able, has no power] be [exist as, become] My disciple [learner, pupil]. word study 28 Which of you, wishing [desiring, intending] to build [construct, put up] a tower [big house, high structure], does not first [before all else, initially] sit down [take a seat, be seated] and count [calculate, figure out] the cost [expense, financial outlay] to see [determine, find out] if he has [possesses, holds] the resources [means, ability] to complete [finish, bring to completion] it [the project, the task]? word study 29 Otherwise, if he lays [begins to build, starts construction on] the foundation [a base, a starting point] and is unable [lacks the strength or resources] to finish [complete, bring to an end] the work [project, task], everyone [all people, every person] who sees [looks at, observes] it will ridicule [mock, laugh at] him, word study 30 saying, ‘This [specific] man [a human being] could not [completely unable] finish [to complete] what he started [began to build] to build [construct].’ word study 31 Or what king [sovereign ruler, monarch] on his way [journey, path] to war [conflict, battle] with another king [rival monarch, opposing ruler] will not first [before all else, initially] sit down [take a seat, convene] and consider [ponder, deliberate] whether he can engage [meet, encounter] with ten thousand [a multitude, a large number] men the one coming [approaching, advancing] against him with twenty thousand [a vast army, a numerous force]? word study 32 And if he is unable [but if not, lacking the power], he will send [dispatch, set apart] a delegation [embassy, group of representatives] while the other king is still [yet, ongoing] far off [at a distance, remote], to ask [request, seek] for terms of peace [harmony, freedom from war, prosperity]. word study 33 In the same way [thus, in this manner], any one of you who does not [completely, utterly] give up [renounce, forsake] everything [all, every possession] he has [possesses, owns] cannot [is not able, is powerless] be [exist as, become] My [belonging to Me, I possess] disciple [learner, follower, a pupil of Christ]. word study 34 Salt [a seasoning, preservative] is good [beneficial, fair], but if the salt loses its savor [taste, flavor], with what [a question of means] will it be seasoned [made palatable]? word study 35 It is fit [suitable, having the right qualities] neither for the soil [earth, land] nor for the manure pile [dunghill, fertilizer], and it is thrown out [cast away, rejected]. He who has ears [the ability to hear, understand] to hear [listen, obey], let him hear [pay attention, comprehend].” word study