Jesus healeth the dropsy on the Sabbath -- Parable of the wedding; Parable of the great supper -- Men are to forsake all for Christ.

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.

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

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

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

⁵⁾And spake unto them again, 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?

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

⁷⁾And he put forth a parable unto them concerning those who were bidden to a wedding; for he knew how they chose out the chief rooms, and exalted themselves one above another; wherefore he spake unto them, saying,

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

⁹⁾And he who bade thee, with him who is more honorable, 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 who bade thee, cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have honor of God, in the presence of them who sit at meat with thee.

¹¹⁾For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted.

¹²⁾Then said he also concerning him who bade to the wedding, When thou makest a dinner, or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense 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 who sat at meat with him, heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

¹⁶⁾Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper and bade many;

¹⁷⁾And sent his servants at supper time, to say to them who 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, therefore I cannot come.

²¹⁾So that servant came and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servants, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring hither the poor, and the maimed, the halt and the blind.

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

²³⁾The Lord said unto his servant, Go out into the highways, and hedges, and compel men to come in, that my house may be filled;

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

²⁵⁾And when he had finished these sayings, he departed thence, 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, or husband, yea and his own life also; or in other words, is afraid to lay down his life for my sake, cannot be my disciple.

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

²⁸⁾Therefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.

²⁹⁾For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have money to finish his work?

³⁰⁾Lest, unhappily, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish his work, all who behold, begin to mock him,

³¹⁾Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. And this he said, signifying there should not any man follow him, unless he was able to continue; saying,

³²⁾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 who cometh against him with twenty thousand.

³³⁾Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an embassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

³⁴⁾So likewise, whosoever of you forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple.

³⁵⁾Then certain of them came to him saying, Good Master, we have Moses and the prophets, and whosoever shall live by them, shall he not have life?

³⁶⁾And Jesus answered, saying, Ye know not Moses, neither the prophets; for if ye had known them, ye would have believed on me; for to this intent they were written. For I am sent that ye might have life. Therefore I will liken it unto salt which is good;

³⁷⁾But if the salt had lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

³⁸⁾It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung hill; men cast it out. He who hath ears to hear, let him hear. These things he said, signifying that which was written, verily must all be fulfilled.