THE GOSPEL ACCORDING to
*LUKE

Luke 14

1Christ healeth the dropsy on the sabbath, and justifieth his doing so: 7he recommendeth humility; 12and hospitality toward the poor. 15The parable of the marriage supper, and of the guests, who making excuses were excluded, and their rooms filled by others: 25he adviseth those who are willing to be his disciples to examine beforehand their resolution in case of persecutions. 34The unprofitableness of salt, when it hath lost its savour.


1AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of 1one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they 2watched him.

1 That is, a ruler of the Jews, of the sect of the Pharisees, as also was Nicodemus, John 3:1.

2 Namely, whether He would say or do anything that they might reprehend.

2And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

3And Jesus answering spake unto the 3lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

3 Of the lawyers see Mat. 2 on verse 4; Luke 11:45.

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

5And answered them, saying, Whicha of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

a Exod. 23:5; Deut. 22:4; Luke 13:15.

6And they could not answer him again to these things.

7¶And he put forth a 4parable to those which were 5bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms;b saying unto them,

4 Namely, to exhort them thereby to true humility before God and men, as may be seen in verse 11.

5 Gr. called, namely, to the feast, so also in the following.

b places at table*

8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a 6more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

6 That is, worthy of more honor or more respect.

9And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Givec this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

c Make room for*

10Butd 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, 7go up higher: then shalt thou have worshipe in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

d Prov. 25:6, 7.

7 Gr. ascend higher.

e have respect, honor*

11Forf whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

f Job 22:29; Prov. 29:23; Mat. 23:12; Luke 1:51; 18:14; James 4:6, 10; 1 Peter 5:5.

12¶Then said he also to him that bade him, Wheng thou makest a dinner or a supper, 8call 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.

g Neh. 8:11; Prov. 3:28.

8 Namely, forgetting the poor, and if you want to expect a recompense from God, as Christ expresses in verse 14. Otherwise, it is not unlawful to show this courtesy to his friends also. See Gen. 21:8, 43:25, etc.; Job 1:4.

13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the 9maimed, the lame, the blind:

9 Or, infirmities of members.

14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be 10recompensed 11at the resurrection of the just.

10 Namely, by God of grace. Of this recompense, see Mat. 25 on verse 36.

11 Namely, to eternal life. For, otherwise the unjust also shall be raised up, but to everlasting condemnation. Dan. 12:2; John 5:29; Acts 24:15.

15¶And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that 12shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

12 Or, eat.

16Then said he unto him, Ah certain man 13made a great supper, and bade many:

h Isa. 25:6; Mat. 22:2; Rev. 19:7, 9.

13 Or, prepared. By this parable Christ shows that, although these men seemed to esteem greatly the Kingdom of God, yet, notwithstanding, they and many others had these temporal things so rooted in their hearts, that, being called thereunto by the Gospel, they despised or neglected the same.

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

18And they all 14with 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.

14 Gr. out of one, that is, out of one heart or mouth; for, although they pretend several causes for refusal, yet they all excuse themselves with their temporal things.

19And another said, I have bought five 15yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

15 That is, pair or couple.

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

21So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. 16Then 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.

16 Hereby is not given to understand that to buy a field, oxen or such like goods, or to marry a wife would be unlawful, 1 Cor. 7:29, but the Lord is therefore wroth, that the Jews, by these temporal things, suffered themselves to be hindered from embracing the doctrine of the Gospel. Wherefore he also rejected them and called the Gentiles in their stead.

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 17compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

17 Namely, with earnest and continual urging. See similarly, Gen. 33:11; Luke 24:29.

24For I say unto you, That none of those men 18which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

18 Namely: and refused to come.

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

26Ifi any man come to me, and 19hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own 20life also, he cannot be my disciple.

i Deut. 13:6; 33:9; Mat. 10:37.

19 That is, he who loves the same more than Me, as it is expounded in Mat. 10:37.

20 Gr. soul, as Mat. 16:25.

27Andj whosoever doth not bear his 21cross, and 22come after me, cannot be my disciple.

j Mat. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23.

21 That is, he who is not minded and ready to suffer persecution and affliction after My example and for My sake.

22 Or, followeth after me.

28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and 23counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

23 Or, considereth, weigheth, as used to be done with counters.

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

k perhaps, lest it should happen*

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,l and desireth conditions of peace.

l ambassadors, a deputation

33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that 24forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

24 Gr. bids farewell to all, that is, is not ready, if need be, to forsake all and follow Me. See Luke 9:61, and here in verse 27.

34¶Saltmis good: but if the salt 25have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

m Mat. 5:13; Mark 9:50.

25 Or, is become foolish. See Mat. 5:13.

3526It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it 27out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

26 Namely, salt, being spoiled. See Mark 9:50.

27 Gr. outside.