Chapter XLV

DROPSY CURED--PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER.

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. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying,

Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

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

And they could not answer him again to these things.

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

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

Then 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
neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be
made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the
maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for
they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at
the resurrection of the just.

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. Then said he unto him,

A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent
his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden,
Come; for all things are now ready. 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. And another said, I have bought
five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me
excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and
therefore I cannot come.

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. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast
commanded, and yet there is room. 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. For I say unto
you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of
my supper.

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

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. And whosoever
doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my
disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower,
sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have
_sufficient_ to finish _it_? Lest haply, after he hath laid
the foundation, and is not able to finish _it_, all that
behold _it_ begin to mock him, saying, This man began to
build, and was not able to finish.

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? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he
sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So
likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt _is_ good: but if the
salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 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.