16 But He said to him, "1A 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.'
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"Anotheronesaid, 'I have boughtfiveyoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; pleaseconsider me excused.'
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"Anotheronesaid, '2I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot*come.'
21
"And the slavecame back and reportedthis to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
22
"And the slavesaid, 'Master, what you commanded has beendone, and still there is room.'
23
"And the mastersaid to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.
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'For I tell you, none of thosemen who were invited shall taste of my dinner.' "