Luke 14

King James Version

Full text for Luke Chapter 14

1¶ And 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.

7¶ And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

8‹When 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;›

9‹And 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.›

10‹But 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.›

11‹For 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.›

13‹But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:›

14‹And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.›

15¶ And 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:›

17‹And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.›

18‹And 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.›

19‹And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.›

20‹And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.›

21‹So 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.›

22‹And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.›

23‹And 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.›

24‹For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.›

25¶ And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26‹If 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.›

27‹And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.›

28‹For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?›

29‹Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him,›

30‹Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.›

31‹Or 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?›

32‹Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.›

33‹So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.›

34‹Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?›

35‹It 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.›

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus, dining with a chief Pharisee on the Sabbath, healed a man with dropsy, challenging the legalistic interpretation of the law. He then taught parables on humility, advising guests to take the lowest seats, and instructed hosts to invite the poor for a heavenly reward. Finally, he presented the parable of the great supper, where invited guests made excuses, leading the master to invite the marginalized, and emphasized the radical cost and commitment required for true discipleship.

Medium Summary

At a Sabbath meal, Jesus healed a man afflicted with dropsy, silencing the lawyers and Pharisees who watched him, and justified his action by asking if they would not rescue an animal from a pit on the Sabbath. Observing guests seeking prominent places, he taught a parable advocating humility, stating that those who humble themselves will be exalted. He further advised the host to invite the poor, maimed, lame, and blind, promising a blessing at the resurrection rather than earthly recompense. Following this, Jesus recounted the parable of the great supper, where many invited guests offered excuses, prompting the master to fill his house with the poor, the afflicted, and those from the highways, excluding the original invitees. Concluding, he addressed the multitudes, stressing that true discipleship demands a profound commitment, likened to "hating" family and one's own life, bearing a cross, and forsaking all possessions, illustrating this with parables of building a tower and a king going to war.

Long Summary

Luke chapter 14 opens with Jesus attending a Sabbath meal at the house of a chief Pharisee, where he was closely observed. A man with dropsy was present, and Jesus directly challenged the lawyers and Pharisees by asking if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Receiving no answer, he healed the man and let him go, then justified his action by posing a rhetorical question about rescuing an animal from a pit on the Sabbath, to which they could not respond. Next, Jesus observed guests choosing the chief rooms and offered a parable on humility: one should take the lowest seat at a feast, lest a more honourable guest arrive and cause shame; instead, taking a lower place might lead the host to invite one to a higher position, bringing honour. He concluded this teaching with the principle that "whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Jesus then addressed his host, advising him not to invite friends, kinsmen, or rich neighbours, who might reciprocate, but rather the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. He promised that such an act of charity, without expectation of earthly recompense, would result in a blessing at the resurrection of the just. One of the guests then proclaimed, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." In response, Jesus delivered the parable of the great supper. A certain man prepared a feast and invited many, but when the time came, they all began to make excuses: one had bought ground, another oxen, and a third had married. Angered by their refusal, the master commanded his servant to go into the city's streets and lanes to gather the poor, maimed, halt, and blind. When there was still room, he further instructed the servant to compel people from the highways and hedges to come in, declaring that none of the originally bidden guests would taste his supper. Finally, as great multitudes followed him, Jesus turned to them and outlined the rigorous demands of discipleship. He stated that one cannot be his disciple without a radical commitment, metaphorically described as "hating" father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, and even one's own life. He further declared that bearing one's cross and following him is essential. To illustrate the necessity of forethought, he presented two parables: one about a man building a tower who first counts the cost to ensure he can finish it, and another about a king contemplating war who first assesses his strength against an enemy. He concluded this section by reiterating that forsaking all possessions is a prerequisite for discipleship, and warned that if "salt have lost his savour," it is useless and cast out, emphasizing the importance of genuine and enduring commitment.

Core Concepts

  • Sabbath HealingJesus healed a man with dropsy on the Sabbath, challenging the Pharisees' strict legalistic interpretations and demonstrating that acts of mercy are permissible even on the holy day.
  • Humility and ExaltationThrough the parable of the chief rooms, Jesus taught that one should take the lowest seat at a feast, illustrating the principle that those who humble themselves will be exalted, while the self-exalted will be abased.
  • Charity to the NeedyJesus instructed hosts to invite the poor, maimed, lame, and blind to their feasts rather than the wealthy. He promised a divine blessing at the resurrection for such selfless acts, as the poor cannot offer earthly recompense.
  • The Great SupperThis parable illustrates the rejection of God's invitation by those preoccupied with worldly affairs. Consequently, the invitation is extended to the marginalized and outcasts, who readily accept.
  • Cost of DiscipleshipJesus outlines the radical demands of following him, including a metaphorical "hating" of family and self, bearing one's cross, and forsaking all possessions. This signifies a primary and absolute loyalty to Christ above all else.
  • Counting the CostIllustrated by parables of building a tower and a king going to war, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of careful consideration and full commitment before embarking on discipleship. One must assess if they are prepared for the sacrifices required.
  • Salt Losing its SavorThis metaphor warns against a disciple losing their essential quality or commitment, becoming useless and cast out. It highlights the importance of enduring faithfulness and the practical consequences of spiritual decay.