And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
Parallel translations
- WEB He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them,
- BSB When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
- NKJV So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
- NASB Now He began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
- NLT When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Noticing guests choosing the best seats, Jesus tells a parable. He uses their pride to teach about humility in God's kingdom.
Overview
The scramble for places of honor at the meal reveals the self-seeking that Jesus addresses. He turns an ordinary social custom into a lesson on the heart. The parable that follows applies far beyond banquet etiquette to one's standing before God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Phil 2:3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
- Luke 11:43Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
- Matt 23:6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
- Luke 20:46Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
- Mark 12:38–39And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
- 3 Jn 1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
- Acts 8:18–19And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
- Ezek 17:2Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
- Prov 8:1Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
- Judg 14:12And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
- Matt 13:34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 14:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.