9
and he who invited you both* will come and say to you, 'Give your place to thisman,' and then1in disgrace you proceed to occupy the lastplace.
10
"But when you are invited, go and recline at the lastplace, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, 2move up higher '; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.
11
"3For everyone who exaltshimself will be humbled, and he who humbleshimself will be exalted."
12
And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, "When you give a luncheonor a dinner, do not invite your friendsor your brothersor your relativesorrichneighbors, otherwise they may alsoinvite you in return and that will be your repayment.
13
"But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14
and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at 4the resurrection of the righteous."
15
When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heardthis, he said to Him, "5Blessed is everyonewho will eatbread in the kingdom of God!"
Parable of the Dinner
16 But He said to him, "6A man was giving a bigdinner, and he invitedmany;
17
and at the dinnerhour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is readynow.'
18
"But they allalike*began to makeexcuses. The firstonesaid to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; pleaseconsider me excused.'
19
"Anotheronesaid, 'I have boughtfiveyoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; pleaseconsider me excused.'