Luke 14:12-24 - The Parable Of The Great Banquet

12 Also to His host, who had invited Him, He said, "When you give a breakfast or a dinner, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbours, lest perhaps they should invite you in return and a requital be made you. 13 But when you entertain, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they have no means of requiting you, but there will be requital for you at the Resurrection of the righteous."

15 After listening to this teaching, one of His fellow guests said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall feast in God's Kingdom."

16 "A man once gave a great dinner," replied Jesus, "to which he invited a large number of guests. 17 At dinner-time he sent his servant to announce to those who had been invited, "'Come, for things are now ready.'

18 "But they all without exception began to excuse themselves. The first told him, "'I have purchased a piece of land, and must of necessity go and look at it. Pray hold me excused.'

19 "A second pleaded, "'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and am on my way to try them. Pray hold me excused.'

20 "Another said, "'I am just married. It is impossible for me to come.'

21 "So the servant came and brought these answers to his master, and they stirred his anger. "'Go out quickly,' he said, 'into the streets of the city--the wide ones and the narrow. You will see poor men, and crippled, blind, lame: fetch them all in here.'

22 "Soon the servant reported the result, saying, "'Sir, what you ordered is done, and there is room still.'

23 "'Go out,' replied the master, 'to the high roads and hedge-rows, and compel the people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my dinner.'"