1ONE SABBATH HE WENT to have a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee; and they were watching him closely. 2There, in front of him, was a man suffering from dropsy. 3Jesus asked the lawyers and the Pharisees: 'Is it permitted to cure people on the Sabbath or not?' 4They said nothing. So he took the man, cured him, and sent him away. 5Then he turned to them and said, 'If one of you has a donkey or an ox and it falls into a well, will he hesitate to haul it up on the Sabbath day?' 6To this they could find no reply.
7When he noticed how the guests were trying to secure the places of honour, he spoke to them in a parable: 8'When you are asked by someone to a wedding-feast, do not sit down in the place of honour. 9It may be that some person more distinguished than yourself has been invited; and the host will come and say to you, "Give this man your seat." 10Then you will look foolish as you begin to take the lowest place. No, when you receive an invitation, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he will say, "Come up higher, my friend." Then all your fellow-guests will see the respect in which you are held. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.'
12Then he said to his host, 'When you are having a party for lunch or supper, do not invite your friends, your brothers or other relations, or your rich neighbours; they will only ask you back again and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a party, ask the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; and so find happiness. 14For they have no means of repaying you; but you will be repaid on the day when good men rise from the dead.'
15One of the company, after hearing all this, said to him, 'Happy the man who shall sit at the feast in the kingdom of God!' 16Jesus answered, 'A man was giving a big dinner party and had sent out many invitations. 17At dinner-time he sent his servant with a message for his guests, "Please come, everything is now ready." They began one and all to excuse themselves. 18The first said, "I have bought a piece of land, and I must go and look over it; please accept my apologies." 19The second said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am on my way to try them out; please accept my apologies." 20The next said, "I have just got married and for that reason I cannot come." 21When the servant came back he reported this to his master. The master of the house was angry and said to him, "Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring me in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." 22The servant said, "Sir, your orders have been carried out and there is still room." 23The master replied, "Go out on to the highways and along the hedgerows and make them come in; I want my house to be full. 24I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my banquet." '
25Once when great crowds were accompanying him, he turned to them and said: 26'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even his own life, he cannot be a disciple of mine. 27No one who does not carry his cross and come with me can be a disciple of mine. 28Would any of you think of building a tower without first sitting down and calculating the cost, to see whether he could afford to finish it? 29Otherwise, if he has laid its foundation and then is not able to complete it, all the onlookers will laugh at him. 30"There is the man", they will say, "who started to build and could not finish." 31Or what king will march to battle against another king, without first sitting down to consider whether with ten thousand men he can face an enemy coming to meet him with twenty thousand? 32If he cannot, then, long before the enemy approaches, he sends envoys, and asks for terms. 33So also none of you can be a disciple of mine without parting with all his possessions.
34'Salt is a good thing; but if salt itself becomes tasteless, what will you use to season it? 35It is useless either on the land or on the dung-heap: it can only be thrown away. If you have ears to hear, then hear.'
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