English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
16 But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.
16
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.
17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
17
At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.'
18
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.'
19
“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'
20
“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
21
“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.'
22
“ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23 And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
23
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.