Read the Bible

¹ And it came to pass, when he entered into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, on a Sabbath, to eat bread, that, they, were narrowly watching him.² And lo! there was, a certain man, who had the dropsy, before him.³ And Jesus, answering, spake unto the Lawyers and Pharisees, saying - Is it allowed, on the Sabbath, to cure, or not? But, they, held their peace.⁴ And taking hold of him he healed and dismissed him, - ⁵ and, unto them, said - Which of you, shall have a son or an ox that, into a pit, shall fall, and will not straightway pull him up, on the day of rest?⁶ And they could not return an answer unto these things.

⁷ And he went on to speak, unto the invited, a parable, - observing how, the first couches, they were choosing; saying unto them - ⁸ Whensoever thou hast been invited by anyone unto a marriage feast, do not recline on the first couch; lest once, a more honourable than thou, have been invited by him,⁹ and he that invited both thee and him should come, and say unto thee - Give, unto this one, place! and, then, thou shouldst begin, with shame, the last place, to occupy.¹⁰ But, whensoever thou hast been invited, pass on and fall back into the last place, that, whensoever he that hath invited thee shall come, he may say unto thee - Friend! come close up, higher. Then, shalt thou have honour before all who are reclining together with thee.¹¹ Because, everyone who exalteth himself, shall be abased; and, he that abaseth himself, shall be exalted?¹² Moreover he went on to say, unto him also who had invited him, - Whensoever thou mayest be making a dinner or a supper, do not call thy friends, or thy brothers, or thy kinsfolk, or rich neighbours, - lest once, they also, invite thee in return, and it become a recompense unto thee.¹³ But, whensoever, an entertainment, thou mayest be making, invite the destitute, the tried, the lame, the blind;¹⁴ and, happy, shalt thou be, that they have not wherewith to recompense thee, for it shall be recompensed unto thee, in the resurrection of the righteous.

¹⁵ And one of those reclining together, hearing these things, said unto him - Happy, whoever shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!¹⁶ But, he, said unto him - A certain man, was making a great supper, and invited many;¹⁷ and he sent out his servant, at the hour of the supper, to say unto the invited - Be coming! because, even now, is it, ready.¹⁸ And they all began, one after another to excuse themselves. The first, said unto him - A field, have I bought, and have need to go out and see it: I request thee, hold me excused.¹⁹ And, another, said - Five yoke of oxen, have I bought, and am going my way to prove them; I request thee, hold me excused.²⁰ And, another, said - A wife, have I married, and, for this cause, I cannot come!²¹ And, going near, the servant reported unto his lord these things. Then, provoked to anger, the master of the house said unto his servant - Go out quickly, into the broadways and streets of the city, - and, the destitute, and tried, and blind, and lame, bring thou in here.²² And the servant said - Lord! what thou didst order, hath been done; and, yet, there is, room.²³ And the lord said unto the servant - Go out among the highways and fences, and compel them to come in; that my house may be filled.²⁴ For, I say unto you - Not one of those men who had been invited, shall taste of my supper.

²⁵ And there were journeying together with him many multitudes; and, turning, he said unto them - ²⁶ If anyone cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, further also, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.²⁷ Whoever beareth not his own cross, and cometh after me, cannot be my disciple.²⁸ For, who from among you, wishing to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, - whether he hath sufficient for completion;²⁹ lest once, he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are looking on, should begin to mock at him,³⁰ saying - This man, began to build, and was not able to finish!³¹ Or, what king, moving on to encounter, another king, in battle, will not sit down first and take counsel, whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him who, with twenty thousand, is coming against him.³² And, if not, by any means, while he is yet afar off, he sendeth, an embassy, and requesteth the conditions of peace.³³ Thus, therefore, everyone from amongst you, who doth not bid adieu unto all his own possessions, cannot be my disciple.³⁴ Good, therefore is the salt; but, if, even the salt, become tasteless, wherewith shall it be seasoned?³⁵ Neither for land nor for manure, is it, fit: outside, they cast it! He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.